Veteran radio personality Maina Kageni has revealed his deeply personal and unconventional end-of-life wish: to be cremated without a requiem mass.
Speaking candidly on-air during Classic 105’s Morning Conversation, which he co-hosts with Mwalimu King’ang’i, Maina shared that his cremation plan is already clearly stated in his will.
“I will be cremated when I die. It’s even in my will. The day after I die, I’ll be at Kariokor. I don’t even want a requiem mass,” Maina stated.
His comments come at a time when the future of Nairobi’s Lang’ata Cemetery, one of Kenya’s busiest burial grounds, remains in question due to overcrowding. The Ministry of Health has called for its immediate closure, citing concerns over graves being reused and shallow burials.
Maina expressed frustration at what he termed as overindulgence in African funeral traditions, calling for a shift in mindset toward simpler, more practical options like cremation.
“It’s time we moved away from these long, drawn-out funerals. In a few years, there will be no land left to bury people. And private land with graves can’t even be sold,” he added.
A Growing Trend Among Prominent Kenyans
Maina joins a growing list of notable Kenyans who have opted for cremation, reflecting a shift in burial preferences amid urban land scarcity.
Recent figures cremated include:
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Charles Ouda (Actor, Feb 2024)
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Asad Khan (Rally Driver, Dec 2023)
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Franklin Ndirangu aka Drae Frank (Creative, Nov 2023)
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Sean Cardovillis (Sports Journalist, Sep 2023)
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John Macharia, son of media mogul SK Macharia
Others such as Wangari Maathai, Bob Collymore, Ken Okoth, Jane Kiano, and Kenneth Matiba were also cremated in line with personal or family wishes.
Changing the Narrative
Maina’s comments have sparked public debate on the need to rethink cultural expectations around death and funerals in Kenya. Many listeners called in to either support or question his decision, but Maina remained firm.
“Funerals have become shows. People you never even knew show up, cry, eat, and leave. Let’s be honest — we can do better.”
As Kenya faces an ongoing burial space crisis, especially in urban centres like Nairobi, conversations like Maina’s are shining a light on sustainable alternatives and the evolving attitudes toward death.
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