Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has been cremated at Kariokor Crematorium in Nairobi in accordance with his final wishes, joining a growing list of prominent Kenyans who have opted for cremation instead of traditional burial.
Kariuki, who died on Tuesday aged 72, was cremated on Wednesday, November 4, in a ceremony attended by senior political and judicial figures, including former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Chief Justice Martha Koome.
Also present were former Chief Justices Willy Mutunga and David Maraga, former Attorneys General Justin Muturi, Githu Muigai and Amos Wako, as well as Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
His family had earlier confirmed that the former head of the country's legal affairs would be cremated in accordance with his personal wishes.
Kariuki's death brought to an end a career spanning nearly five decades, during which he served in private legal practice, educational leadership, judicial administration and public service.
His choice of cremation reflects a growing trend among prominent Kenyans who have opted for the practice, despite traditional burial remaining more common in the country.
Among the most notable was Nobel Peace Prize laureate and environmentalist Wangari Maathai, who was cremated at Kariokor Crematorium following her death in 2011.
Maathai had chosen cremation because she did not want trees cut down to provide timber for her coffin.
Veteran politician Kenneth Matiba, a key figure in Kenya's struggle for multi-party democracy, was also cremated at Lang'ata Crematorium in 2018 in accordance with his wishes.
Former Safaricom chief executive Bob Collymore joined the list in July 2019 following his death after battling cancer. His cremation was conducted in a private ceremony.
Other prominent Kenyans who chose cremation include Charles Njonjo, the country's first post-independence Attorney General, former Head of Public Service Jeremiah Kiereini and former Kibera MP Ken Okoth.
Former Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation leader Jane Kiano and former Anglican Archbishop of Kenya Manasses Kuria also opted for cremation. Kuria's cremation in 2005 sparked debate within church circles.
Celebrated author and journalist Binyavanga Wainaina, who died in 2019, and actor and filmmaker Charles Ouda, who died in 2024, are also among those who chose the practice.
Although cremation remains less common than conventional burial in Kenya, the choices made by these public figures highlight changing attitudes towards funeral arrangements and the growing importance of respecting individual wishes after death.