The body of former IEBC boss Wafula Chebukati has finally arrived at his hometown of Kitale ahead of his much-anticipated burial on Saturday, March 8, 2025.
According to videos shared online, the body, holstered on a limousine hearse, arrived in the village flanked by a convoy of high-end cars that carried his family members and close associates who were part of his inner circle.
Upon arrival, it was retrieved from the limousine hearse and placed in front of a tent where anxious village members had gathered to hold a vigil for him.
After a few minutes, the occasion kicked off with pomp, and according to a different YouTube livestream by YouTuber Balindiway, choirs took turns singing as the mood for the burial began to set in the village.
A village elder, clad in a black suit, was also seen leading a prayer to officially commence the event, as members of the public continued to cheer in anticipation while the police attempted to calm them down.
Watch the video here:
Doting father
The body arrived at around 3:30 PM on Thursday, March 6, 2025, from his home in Karen following a memorial service held on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, where the mood had also been sombre as his family eulogised him.
One of the most notable tributes during the occasion came from his only daughter, Rachael, who spoke fondly of how her late father prioritised his health and had made radical dietary changes in the final days of his life to steer clear of brain cancer.
During her tribute, she broke down several times, overwhelmed by emotion, as she recalled the fond memories she had shared with her father and how he had raised her.
According to her, Wafula’s wish was that they would not spend too much time mourning and weeping but rather accord him a decent send-off and move on with their lives for their own good.
“Our dad wanted us to proceed with our lives and just continue getting better,” she noted.
Chebukati’s Illness
Rachael, who at the time of her father’s passing had been away in Ethiopia for a fellowship, went on to detail what her father’s final days looked like after doctors made it clear that he had only a short time left to live.
She spoke fondly of how the news devastated him and how he vowed to do everything in his power to fight cancer, to the extent that he even set up a gym at home and woke up early to exercise.
“Even after he was given only a few months to live, I recall him saying that this sickness was not going to beat him. He would fight it, and he did. He started a home gym and would exercise morning and evening,” she remarked.
However, despite his efforts, Chebukati, who had served as Kenya’s head of the electoral body from 2017 to 2023, breathed his last on February 20, 2025.
