Former President Mwai Kibaki is trending on the interwebs today after his family went public asking for Kenyans for financial assistance to accord his sister-in-law Jane Wanjiru Rika a befitting send-off after she passed on last weekend.
The deceased was the wife of the late Captain Josephat Rika and sister of former First Lady Lucy Kibaki, who died in 2016 while undergoing treatment in London.
The family has now opened an M-Pesa pay-bill where well-wishers can deposit their contributions ahead of her burial on Tuesday, May 25 at her home in Naromoru.
Luck Kibaki's Sister Is Dead, Family Asks for Help. pic.twitter.com/FClJNzGnNX
— OTUKHO JACKSON (@MulamaJack_) May 19, 2021
The plea has been met with mixed reactions on the internet, Here are a few from Twitter.
Its just bad habit. We believe that people should help in everything, even when we really don't lack. It's in our culture and it's difficult to change it. In other countries, death expenses are planned for in advance.
— Cyprian Ongeri™ (@cyprianongeri1) May 19, 2021
You make very serious points, we must be upright, fair and honest as a society. Also kind, as a people. What do guys hoard money for? Av never understood
— Benji Ndolo (@BenjiNdolo) May 19, 2021
Death itself brings people together to mourn. And yes, families do request that only flowers be given, or no flowers or that any contributions be sent to a charity of the bereaved family's choice. Though this rarely happens in Africa and Kenya in particular.
— Tess (@TeresahAtieno) May 19, 2021
True.Makes so much sense👍
— Mary wa Rware (@MaryRware) May 20, 2021
