This archive report was first published on 4 July 2019.
On July 4, 2019, former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore passed away, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire conversations about the cost of funerals in Kenya.
Collymore's funeral was a private and low-key affair, with a cremation ceremony that cost a mere Ksh. 9,000. The simplicity of the funeral has sparked a heated debate on social media, with many Kenyans questioning the need for elaborate and expensive funerals.
As one user, Mubea Murithi, pointed out, 'Culture is peer pressure from dead people, and Africans are its biggest victims.' He noted that while Collymore's funeral cost a fraction of what many others cost, others often spend up to Ksh. 400,000 on funerals.
Many users shared their own thoughts on the matter, with some expressing a desire to be cremated themselves, while others lamented the commercialization of burial ceremonies.
As Ahmed Mohammed noted, the crematorium at Kariokor charges a flat rate of Sh10,000 for a member and Sh22,500 for a non-Hindu. This has sparked a discussion about the affordability of funerals and the need for more modest approaches.
