Classic 105 FM breakfast show host Maina Kageni has shared his personal end-of-life wishes, stating that he prefers cremation over traditional burial.
Kageni’s comments come in response to a recent announcement by the Ministry of Health and the Nairobi County Government that Lang’ata Cemetery is nearing permanent closure due to severe overcrowding and public health concerns.
“Lang’ata Cemetery is full and is being shut down,” Kageni said. “It was declared full two decades ago, yet we’ve kept burying our loved ones in shallow graves, often on top of others. That’s a serious health hazard.”
He also criticized the widespread cultural practice of transporting deceased individuals over long distances for burial.
“I’ve never understood this African tradition of moving a body 500 kilometres for burial,” he remarked. “People die abroad, and we insist on flying the body back just to bury it. A body is just that — a lifeless mass. We need to normalize cremation and stop using family land for burials. It makes the land difficult to sell. Just look at Kisii — the land there is barely the size of Kawangware, yet everyone insists on being buried there!”
Kageni revealed that he has already made formal arrangements for his own cremation, stating, “It’s in my will — when I die, I’ll be cremated.”