Residents of Kipkenyo village in the outskirts of Eldoret town were left in shock after a 77-year-old man was buried without a coffin.
Hundreds of mourners thronged the homestead of Mzee Paul Chemng’ok to witness the bizarre interment, the first of its kind in the area.
His younger brother Serem Kispsaina told the media that the deceased did not believe in any religion and wrote a will with firm instructions on how he wished to be buried.
Chemng’ok, who passed away on July 4th, was laid to rest at his home on Saturday with his remains covered with cowhide as he had stated in his will. There was also no preaching, and reading of eulogies.
“Before he died on Sunday, he reminded us of how he wanted to be buried. He insisted that there should be no eulogies at the burial, no preaching and that his body be covered with the hide of the bull that would be slaughtered after his death. He wrote all this in a will, and we did exactly as he wished,” said Serem.
The septuagenarian was also buried in line with Nandi cultural burial rights; facing east and his head facing his right-hand side.
“Chemngok as we used to call him as our elder brother did not believe in any religion be it Christianity or Muslim despite our large family having people who believe in the two religions. He only believed that there was a creator whom he prayed to in his own way.”
Area MCA Hillary Rono confirmed that his family buried the elderly man per his wishes. ”The old man never believed in Biblical teachings. This is why his family members, who were overwhelmed with emotions, kept the church away from his burial ceremony. Mzee always wanted politicians to speak at his burial and not members of the clergy,” Rono said.
”The only female who was allowed next to his grave was his elderly mother. Mzee was buried in a fresh cow skin facing the right side of his homestead and not upwards as it is the norm. His grave was designed to resemble that of members of the Muslim community.”
Why is it considered bizarre…
Why is it considered bizarre if we follow our ages old traditions?
Very good question. What is…
Very good question. What is bizarre are these fake religion rites brought to us by the mzungu. These churches have turned out to be houses of broad light robberies where politicians take their money for “sanitization” like Arap Mashamba.
I agree with WHITEWASHED…
I agree with WHITEWASHED. 100%. I think we’ve been too WHITEwashed.
How came Chemkok didn’t…
How came Chemkok didn’t know that disposing human Mizoga also came with the colonists/Christianity?
Come again??
Come again??
you are wrong here. Most…
you are wrong here. Most farming cultures burried their dead.
Mzee Chemng’ok alikuwa mtu…
Mzee Chemng’ok alikuwa mtu mwerevu sana kwa sababu alitambua ya kwamba, “bibilia” ni kitabu bandia cha mila na utamaduni wa Wayahudi.
Namheshimu sana mzee huyu kwa sababu aliweza kupanga mazishi yake alipokuwa yungali hai na akili yake pia ikiwa ingali timamu.
Mzee kama huyu kwangu ni shujaa mkubwa sana.
May Mr.Chemngok RIP. We are…
May Mr.Chemngok RIP. We are slowly but surely going back to our African traditions. We never used to bury people in coffins. Imagine how much of our resources would be saved if we were all burried the African way. No eurogies, no mortuary, no transporting dead people back and forth, no coffins, no taking people to churches, no burring people with expensive items, no delays in burrying our people.
I appreciate the new trend. We need to save the resources for the living, not for the dead.
We hope many more will follow!!
Nothing out of the ordinary…
Nothing out of the ordinary…he believed in the creator and talked to him 999. The man’s mother was still alive? Hawa watu wa Rift watwambie siri ya maisha marefu… ?damu, mursik? au kukimbia? au?
AT WHAT TIME WILL WE EVER…
AT WHAT TIME WILL WE EVER AGREE THAT WE HAVE TO END THIS MENTAL ENSLAVEMENT?
JUST BECAUSE TRADITIONS ARE FOLLOWED, DOESN’T MEAN THAT WE’RE RETARDED.
CARL MAX ONCE SAID THAT ‘CHRISTIANITY IS THE OPIUM OF THE POOR’…
CHRISTIANITY WAS USED DURING COLONIZATION OF AFRICA AS A WHOLE.
THEY HAD A BIBLE AND GUN.
IT’S TIME TO EMANCIPATE OURSELVES FROM THIS MENTAL ENSLAVEMENT.
@ Kora Kanini
Asante sana…
@ Kora Kanini
Asante sana ndugu. Yote uliyosema ni ya kweli kabisa. Nina furaha kusema ya kwamba, Wafrika wameanza kuamka kutokana na dhuluma na athari za kikoloni tulizopata tulipotawaliwa na majambazi, wezi, matapeli, wauaji wanaojiita Waingereza.