The family of a Tharaka Nithi journalist concluded the year by laying their dad to rest on the same day that he was born 61 years ago.
Erastus Mukuru Kaugi who is the father to Royal Media Services Chuka/Igambang’ombe news correspondent Lisper Kathure Mukuru was laid to rest at his home in Kathwa outskirts of Chuka town.
The senior Mukuru was found by his wife Jennifer Kageni Njeru peacefully asleep at the parking lot in his homestead on the evening of December 22, 2020 and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Chuka Referral Hospital the same evening.
Mukuru who was working at the Central Bank of Kenya until his demise was born on December 31, 1959 and hence the family agreed to send him off on his birthday.
Delivering the funeral sermon at his home, Catholic Priest Fr. Edwin Mutethia reminded the residents of the area to be more concerned about their souls than earthly possessions.
“As you have witnessed here, Erastus has not carried any earthly possession with him but he had prepared his spiritual life and hence the church’s presence in his funeral. Watch out to avoid being spiritually dead because your soul is of more importance than earthly possessions that you will leave here on earth,” said the catholic clergy.
Similar sentiments were echoed by the Tharaka Nithi County governor Muthomi Njuki and the area Sub-County Police Commander David Ngondi who were among the very many dignitaries who attended the burial of the veteran journalist’s father.
Njuki called on the area residents to borrow a leaf from the life of Mukuru and write the eulogy they would wish to be read during their funeral while alive as the deceased who rose all the way from the rural Chuka to the Central Bank of Kenya,
“As the presence of ten officers from the Central Bank of Kenya and a speech from the bank’s governor himself, Mukuru had written an impressive eulogy for himself,” said the governor.
He disclosed that the name Mukuru is a household name in the whole of Tharaka Nithi and the country at large due to its constant mentioning of his daughter Kathure Mukuru who was among the very first journalists to feature in Muuga FM which is a Royal Media Services vernacular station that is popular with most Kimeru speakers within Tharaka Nithi, Meru and many other counties within the republic.
The Sub-County Police Commander reminded the area residents to observe the curfew besides other Covid-19 protocols to avoid being arrested and crossing into 2021 at loggerheads with the law.
Others present were the Tharaka Nithi Women Representative Beatrice Nkatha, the area Member of Parliament, Patrick Munene and four Members of the Tharaka Nithi County Assembly including the Area MCA who is also the leader of Majority Murithi Gaturo who directed his colleagues to desist from engaging in politics in their speeches.
By David Mutwiri
