Rare funeral without tributes leaves Kitui tongues wagging

Bishop Peter Maluki presides over the funeral service for the late Christine Syunthi at the Kalatine Girls Secondary School on Saturday /MUSEMBI NZENGU

The casket of the late Christine Syunthi following the funeral service at the Kalatine Girls Secondary School ground on Saturday /MUSEMBI NZENGU

Mourners attending a funeral in Kitui County on Saturday witnessed an unusual occurrence after the requiem service proceeded without the customary tributes from family, friends and neighbours.

During the funeral of family matriarch and retired teacher Christine Syunthi at Kalatine Girls Secondary School grounds in Mumoni, Mwingi North Subcounty, mourners were informed that the deceased had expressly requested that no tributes be read at her burial.

Presiding over the service, Bishop Peter Maluki explained that the omission of the tributes segment was deliberate and fully aligned with Syunthi’s final wishes.

“You can see the programme contains written tributes from the children, but none of them will be read during this ceremony because that was the instruction of our departed and beloved Syunthi,” Bishop Maluki told the congregation.

He said mourners would instead be allowed to read the children’s messages from printed programme booklets distributed during the service.

The bishop emphasised the importance of respecting the wishes of the deceased, noting that such instructions should always be honoured.

However, politicians, public administration officials and clergy were briefly allowed to address the mourners.

The area assistant chief, Stella Kelo, described Syunthi as a woman of exemplary character who single-handedly raised a strong and united family following the death of her husband 30 years ago.

In a eulogy read by Prof Hazel Gachoka, Syunthi was remembered as a humble and compassionate woman who devoted her life to uplifting those around her.

“Her home was always full of visitors and relatives who benefited from her support in education. She loved people and was a great cook,” part of the eulogy read.

After the church service, the funeral procession proceeded to her home, located near Kalatine Girls Secondary School, where she was laid to rest.

Syunthi was the wife of the late John Muthengi Musyoka, a pioneering lawyer from Mwingi North who once contested the Kitui North parliamentary seat.

She is survived by her four daughters — Ngali, Mwende, Kanini and Ndanu.