Elderly Kenyan Man Buried Without Coffin in Bizarre Funeral Ceremony

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."