Over 20,000 mourners expected at Mama Lucy's burial in Othaya today

A view at the Othaya Approved School grounds in Nyeri, ahead of Mama Lucy Kibaki’s funeral service that will be held today. [PHOTO: KIBATA KIHU/STANDARD]

About 20,000 mourners are expected at the funeral of former First Lady Lucy Kibaki, today. Interior Coordination Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, yesterday said all is set for the farewell ceremony.

Kibicho, who toured the venues last evening, said all security measures and other arrangements have been finalised, noting that the body of Mrs Kibaki is expected to arrive at Othaya Approved School grounds at 10am. The convoy will use the Nairobi-Karatina-Mukurweini-Othaya Road.

He said a funeral service led by church leaders will start immediately, which will take about two hours, before the body is interred at her home in Kanyange.

“We are expecting the convoy with the body of Mama Lucy to arrive at about 10am after which we will proceed to a funeral service. We want mourners to be seated by 9am,” he said.

Those unable to sit in the expansive tents will follow proceedings from screens mounted on pillars.

Already, Wanderjoy event organisers have erected tents at the school grounds and by yesterday noon, workers were arranging seats. Sound systems and lighting network were also connected by Homeboys Entertainment company, while florists were busy arranging wreaths to be laid at the casket bearing remains of the former First Lady.

National Youth Service men and casual workers were also busy cleaning Othaya town streets and roads leading to former President Mwai Kibaki’s Kanyange residence. Recarpeting of the road from Othaya town to Kanyange village was nearly complete by yesterday afternoon. It was however impossible to access the final resting place of the former First lady, although a source told The Standard on Saturday that workers had finished digging the grave and were doing final touches.

At the school grounds, telecommunication engineers erected a mobile phone network booster in a church land adjacent to the venue.

The burial service will be held at the school ahead of the burial ceremony at the former president’s home, about five kilometres away. The security committee led by Central Regional Coordinator Naphtaly Mung’athia held a meeting at the grounds, with a press briefing scheduled for the afternoon.