CS Hassan Wario condoles with Mzee Ojwang's kin

NAIROBI: Mourners continued to stream into the home of the late Benson Wanjau better known as Mzee Ojwang' to console the family.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario was among senior Government officials visited the home in Nairobi's Mbotela estate. The CS promised his ministry would lend a helping hand to the family.

He became the first Government official to visit the family of Ojwang' whom for over three decades cracked Kenyans' ribs and arguably birthed comedy in the country.

Dr Wario also promised the family and other artistes present he would fast-track the setting up of the Heroes Council under the Kenya Heroes Act that would see persons considered heroes like Ojwang' honoured for their contribution.

"We have lost a hero and the late Mzee Ojwang' and other artistes made Kenya feel like home no matter what part of the world you were in. He used our diversity to unite us and make us laugh and as a ministry we tried the best we could to ensure he and other artistes were taken care of," said Wario adding they hoped to receive sufficient funds to honour such people.

The family also held a press briefing through Walter Mong'are better known as Nyambane and the Nairobi County government communication director saying a committee, comprising the family, artistes, county and national governments, had been put together to oversee the burial plans.

Mong'are said: "We are still consulting on the date of the burial but Mzee Ojwang' had already said he would like to be buried at Lang'ata Cemetery so that will be the burial site."

The family said the burial might be held in about two weeks' time.

Mong'are said a fundraiser for burial plans would be held adding that this would give Kenyans an opportunity to contribute, in whatever way they wished, towards the final sendoff.

"No one has been given the authority to collect funds on behalf of the family yet so, anyone who purports to be doing so is a fraud. We will continue to update the media and the public on the progress through such briefings," he said.