Workers repair a section of the Nairobi City Mortuary. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]
City Mortuary is undergoing a major facelift after being in a state of disrepair for decades.
The general works are aimed at creating a conducive environment for workers, mourners, visitors, and the dead.
The morgue has a fresh coat of paint and floor tiles. Old doors, windows, and bulbs have been replaced as well as leaking roofs.
Workers say it is the first time the dilapidated facility with a current capacity of 176 bodies is being repaired.
“Save for minor repairs, I have never witnessed this kind of repair work for the last thirty years that I have worked here,” said senior funeral superintendent, David Wanjohi.
Old doors, windows, and bulbs have been replaced as well as leaking roofs. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]
To improve water supply, corroded water pipes have been replaced with new ones, while security and floodlights are being installed to boost lighting at night.
The renovation by Zeco Company Limited has been going on for the last three weeks and is expected to be completed in a few days, with the redesigning of entry and exit points for vehicles.
Those collecting bodies will now depart through Mbagathi Road following the creation of a new exit gate behind the morgue.
The mortuary, which was constructed in 1957, has been neglected until recently when the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) sanctioned the repairs.
It collects an average of Sh3.5 million per month from fees paid by relatives for preserving bodies, mostly from accidents and crime scenes.
The facility is the only public parlour in Nairobi where bodies are taken. Due to deplorable conditions, many people tend to shun the place, instead preferring private funeral homes where the environment is welcoming and friendly.
“In the next few days, this place will have changed completely.
“Though we have managed to contain the stench, the challenge of preserving decomposed and unclaimed bodies remains,” said Wanjohi yesterday.
