Update: Awuonda’s Body To be Cremated In Stockholm
The body of the late Moussa Awuonda will be cremated in Stockholm, ashes buried in Stockholm while a potion of ashes will be sprinkled in Lake Victoria in Kisumu, Kenya. According to information obtained by KSB, the late Awuonda had left a Will to the effect that his land in Kenya (Estate) will be managed by his eldest son while he is also reported to have informed a Kenyan lady that he did not want “The Maggero drama” when time to cremate his body arrived.
According to Dr. Otieno Wariaro, a respected elder who knew Awuonda and who visited him several times when he was hospitalized, Mr. Awuonda told him that he wanted his body cremated. “I can testify that I am a witness that Mr. Awuonda wanted his body to be cremated”, Dr. Wariaro said at a meeting at Continental Hotel on Tuesday.
According to further details, Awuonda’s Will is currently in the custody of his Swedish girlfriend. Sources who have had contact with the woman and whom KSB has managed to talk to say that part of the will has it that it was Awuonda’s wish that his books be distributed among family members, Kenyans and friends.
What is not clear at the moment is the role Awuonda’s family in Kenya is playing in the situation. At the meeting called on Tuesday this week at Continental Hotel, it emerged that the conveners had no contact with members of Awuonda’s family in Kenya. The position of the family in relation to the cremation could also not be addressed by members at the meeting because no one had contacts.
When Dr. Otieno Wariaro asked the meeting whether Awuonda’s family in Kenya knew that he had died, nobody appeared to have had a clear answer. Awuonda’s Swedish girlfriend, who is in procession of his Will, was reported at the meeting to have obtained “Power of Attorney” from Awuonda’s two sons abroad to enable her execute Awuonda’s Will. She was not at the meeting.
It also emerged at the Tuesday meeting that the two sons will not be coming to Sweden to attend the funeral “because they are still traumatized” following the death of their mother in 2001 after a long battle with cancer, the same disease that is reported to have struck Awuonda. KSB has gathered that a Memorial service for the late Awuonda will be held on February 20th 2009 at Stockholm Chapel from 14.00 hrs.
Okoth Osewe
9 Comments »
Leave a Reply
About KSB
New Book On Kenya December 2007 Election Crisis: In Circulation
-
Recent Comments
alan campbell on Horror In Kenya: Shocking Vide… walid on Mudavadi’s Presidential … clint on A Plea From Jeff Mwangi Kwirik… Mary Wambui Kabue on Mudavadi’s Presidential … Josphat munjuri on Tit-bits of Miguna’s … NEW: COUNTRY STATS
How comes that only Luos are being cremated all the time? The other day it was Maggero and now, its this guy. Which Luo is next?
OSEWE: You are encouraging SPAM on your blog like the latest one posted about VIAGRA. I am surprised that after your tough assessment of the comments section you could still post it. In this era of malicious Internet viruses, you are allowing too risky exposure to KSB and readers.
Meanwhile I shall ask Mama Watoto to review some of the past cases to undersatnd that only two known Luos have been cremated. These have been married to Swedish spouses and they made their decisions open though Maggero’s was doubted because his wife never showed the Will.
Otherwise there have been Kenyans married to Swedes who did not want Kenyans at funerals and regardless of tribe, might have been cremated.
There are rumors that Kashitoshito (non-Luo) was cremated, so how come Mama Watoto never queried? If Awuonda preferred to be cremated and it’s in writing, then it is hypocritical to question his wish. Mama Watoto should worry about his/her own burial.
KSB: The spam might have been approved by mistake and it has since been removed.
The stolen presidency
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/31/world/africa/31kenya.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp
Ben, I don’t see why you are mentioning the case of Kashitoshito in this example because there is no evidence that he was cremated. What we have is news that he was buried at Langata and I assume that you cannot bury a body in Kenya without viewing it. If Kashito was cremated, the news could have been out by now.
The fact that two Luos who have been attached to Swedish women have been cremated is beside the point. My concern is that why is it that only Luos are being cremated while other Kenyan’s bodies are being transported to Kenya. Could it be that the Luo culture is being eroded in a way that is making it easy for Luos to opt for cremation? Maggero had no will and to correct this mistake, we have been told that Awuonda wrote a will. This means he knew what he was doing.
What I know is that cremation is not part of the Luo culture. I suspect that you are a Luo chauvinist who will respond to any posting as long as Luos are attacked. When someone questioned why it was only Luos posting critical comments at KSB about the Sheaman, it was you who came up to defend the Luos.
Regardless of how you look at it, Luos are setting the trend in cremations in Stockholm and it is only natural that this trend be questioned by people who are following events. Stop being tribal and focus on the main question. You have no answer to this question and stop pretending. I am not a Luo but I am opposed to Kenyans beginning to adopt this weird culture of cremation because it is not typically African. Face the facts!
Mama Watoto: You already had answers to your question(s) so why the infuriation?
It is all about more knowledge.Our ancestors were thrown in the bushes,many die in wars never to be buried,others die in aeroplane accidents or burn down into ashes in their houses.The thing is all die and vanish from this earth.
” not typically African” and “it is only natural that this trend be questioned by people who are following events “ begs the question is – wearing cloths African? WHO and WHAT decides if you are African enough?
The real question here is how we maintain our African identity while adapting to the challenges we face from day to day and circumstances around us. What African legacy would you like to bestow the future? A static culture with no room for improvement and self criticisms or a dynamic culture that reinforces and reaffirms the real positive aspects of being African at the same time thrives to transform and improve the regressive aspects.
It is true the custom of burial is deeply ingrained in the beliefs systems of Africans. Death played and still plays an important role in African tradition. It also had a special place in the practice of our traditional beliefs but times are changing.
Arranged marriage is/was also part of our culture but many Africans people to date scorn at the practice. I do not intend to equate marriage practices with burial practices – I will leave that discussion for later- my point is one has been subjected to scrutiny – both merits and demerits, it has been under a microscope and arranged marriage seems to be loosing ground. That does not mean people still do not marry in the African tradition.
A situation like this should give us a reason for pause. There is an opportunity here to discuss ways to reinvent ourselves as Africans.? We should refrain from seeing ourselves as more African than others because we do not agree with the choices AFRICANS make in their day to day life due to different situations. Feel free to criticise and let us know the points of your criticism.
“ not typical African “ is not just good enough in this day and age. That statement rises
serious questions and to be fair I will give Mama Watoto the opportunity to enlighten us on what a “ typical Afican “ should do and not do. Can you practice a subset of customs/beliefs and still qualify to be a typical African ? At what point is some customs irelevant and who decides ? can they be modified – serious questions indeed. There is an elephant in this room
so let us use its strength to move forward. This is not a luo affair everybody who considers him/herself an African , oh ! pole sana I meant indeginous African or should I say a native of Africa – its getting complicated – should be concerned.
But In conclusion I still feel that everybody has a choice. To go out in ashes does not make you less of an African than anybody else. When you are dead you are dead, let’s celebrate life.
Haya nisosini
Naen #6, According to Luo culture, a person who dies in a way that makes it impossible for his body to be traced the way you describe still have the benefit of “being buried”. The trunk of a tree called “Yago” is chipped and prepared to represent the body then buried with all funeral rights. The Luo invented a solution long before people started dying in areoplanes. The case of burying a yago was typical of people who drown and their bodies cannot be found or those who died in war. This is an important part of Luo culture.
I think cremation is the best way of getting rid of a dead body; after when someone has died they have died period!