This archive report was first published on 21 August 2019.
John DeMathew, a celebrated Kikuyu benga singer, will be laid to rest on Saturday at his home in Mukurwe village, Muranga County.
DeMathew died in a road crash on Sunday evening, and an autopsy carried out at Kenyatta University Mortuary on Monday revealed that he succumbed to severe internal injuries.
President Kenyatta has requested that the burial be held on Saturday, as he would be traveling abroad next week, according to DeMathew's close friend and musician Peter Kigia.
"As artistes, we wanted the burial to be set for next week, but President Uhuru requested us to move it closer as he would love to grace the event. It was a humble request and we felt the need to honor it," said Kigia.
DeMathew was pronounced dead on arrival at Thika Nursing Home, where he was rushed after ramming into a lorry near Blue Post Hotel in Thika.
Pathologist Dorothy Njeru performed an autopsy and concluded that the cause of death was due to chest and abdominal injuries caused by blunt force trauma consistent with a road traffic accident.
