The Mombasa County Government has initiated a significant project aimed at restoring grave sites in the area.
This endeavour involves the construction of boundary walls and the removal of accumulated garbage, addressing the long-standing neglect of these sacred spaces.
Many grave sites in the area had been left unattended, lacking proper perimeter walls, which allowed opportunistic traders to establish informal structures, detracting from the dignity of the resting places.
Overseeing this restoration effort is Deputy Governor (DG) Francis Thoya, who also serves as the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Environment, Solid Waste Management, and Energy.
The restoration work has already commenced at Mbaraki Cemetery, a historically significant site where soldiers from the First and Second World Wars are interred.
Efforts are also underway to restore Kongowea Cemetery, which was at risk of being transformed into a dumpsite by traders from the nearby Kongowea market.
County trucks have been deployed to remove heaps of trash, and construction of a boundary wall has commenced to prevent further encroachment.
Additionally, measures are being taken to address disrespectful practices, such as drying fish and roasting groundnuts on top of tombs.
DG Thoya emphasized the importance of providing a dignified resting place for departed loved ones and expressed dismay at the desecration of gravesites.
He urged traders to vacate the premises voluntarily to allow for the implementation of restoration measures.
Thoya warned that those who disregard these directives may face forceful eviction.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Thoya underscored the disrespect inherent in conducting business activities atop gravesites and urged traders to consider the feelings of families with loved ones buried there.
Residents, including Albert Mutua from Kongowea, echoed Thoya’s sentiments, calling for traders to vacate the gravesites peacefully and seek alternative locations for their businesses.
The County Government’s intervention in restoring these grave sites is not only a matter of preserving dignity but also of providing solace to grieving families who have witnessed the gradual degradation of their loved ones’ final resting places.
Through these efforts, Mombasa County aims to uphold the sanctity of these sacred spaces and ensure that they remain places of reverence and remembrance.
KNA
