Cremate your dead, it saves money and time- Atheists in Kenya President Harrison Mumia

A group of Kenyans who don’t believe in the existence of God has urged Nairobi residents to cremate their loved ones.

Atheist In Kenya (AIK) says it will preach the cremation gospel as it “saves time and money”.

“We are in full support of cremation. As a society, we will sensitise the public on the advantages of cremation,” AIK president Harrison Mumia said.

He added: “Superstition has been the main driver of many burial practices in Africa. It’s time we cremated the dead; it saves money and time and people heal much faster from the loss of loved ones.”

Their reaction comes after Nairobi County Executive Committee member for Health Hitan Majevdia urged city residents to embrace cremation, citing shortage of cemeteries in Nairobi.

“All those burials you see at the Lang’ata Cemetery are just accommodation we do for people but we do not have space,” Majevdia said.

Majevdia said among the Hindu community, cremation is done with a lot of respect.

Demystifying the much-stereotyped cremation subject, Majevdia said that the process is considered holy, especially in the Hindu culture, adding that it is a respectful process and not just burning of a body.

The executive’s remarks came after Kenya’s first native Attorney General Charles Njonjo was cremated on Sunday, according to a wish he had made about how his body should be interred.

However, some preachers have opposed the call for cremation, saying that death is not the end of life.

They argue that cremation should be the last thing in any African tradition and that since Jesus was buried, most churches require burial as part of following Christ’s example.

City advocate Albert Kibe, however, says: “For cremation to be done, the dead must have given a written consent through a will. Without that, it might lead to division among family members.”