Elders from the Luo community have condemned the cremation of the late Kibra MP Ken Okoth, terming it contrary to the community's customs.
Okoth was cremated in Nairobi on Saturday, in an event that reportedly left out a section of his family, a move which has sparked a storm, especially on the side of his maternal family.
Okija Makambo, a Luo elder, insists that the cremation went against the Luo mode of operations once a son of the land is dead, adding that the exercise seems to be taking root in the region.
He observed that this becomes the second cremation of a notable person following that of Joshua Okudhe, a sports administrator who died in 2009.
“In fact, Ken is the second person among the Luo to be cremated after Okuthe,” he told the Standard on Sunday.
Makambo lamented that the Western culture is now eroding the Luo traditions, opining that the MP should have been buried next to his father's grave in Kochia, Homa Bay.
Responding to reports that Okoth wanted to be cremated, the elder argued that Luos never indicate such things in their wills, traditionally.
He added that Luos believe that once one dies, their souls leave to watch over their loved ones, which could be interfered with if cremated.
“People in our community used to write wills on how they want their wealth - cattle or land - to be subdivided among their dependents and where they would like to be buried, and even the rituals to be performed. But we did not write wills on cremation. This is a western culture,” he added.
Okoth succumbed to colon cancer on Friday, last week.