NAIROBI, Kenya – COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has revealed that he strongly opposed the cremation of his daughter-in-law, Maureen Achieng’ Nyadida-Lukoye, saying he would have preferred to take her remains to the family home for a traditional burial.
Atwoli made the remarks on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during Maureen’s funeral service at All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi, shortly before her remains were cremated.
Maureen, the wife of Atwoli’s eldest son, Prof Lukoye Atwoli, had specifically requested cremation in her will.
The decision put Atwoli at odds with the final wishes of his daughter-in-law, as he said cremation did not align with his family’s traditional burial practices.
Atwoli told mourners that he initially struggled to accept Maureen’s decision and would have taken matters in a different direction if her biological father had not supported her wishes.
“If it were not for the nod of the biological father, I would have carried my daughter-in-law with or without that will [and conducted a traditional burial at home],” Atwoli said.
He explained that Maureen’s biological father, Samwel Nyadida, ultimately accepted that her wishes should be respected. Atwoli said Nyadida’s position helped him come to terms with the decision.
He recalled that people had questioned why he, as a Luhya elder and public figure, had allowed his daughter-in-law to be cremated instead of taking her body home.
“People are asking, ‘Francis, you are not only a Luhya elder; you are a Kenyan elder. Why would you allow your daughter-in-law to go through a cremation?’” he said.
Atwoli said he also had to accept the situation despite his personal position.
“I had to come to terms with that issue much, much later after the biological father of [the late] said, ‘If that was her will, let her go through that process,’” he said.
Maureen died on September 7, 2026, following a prolonged battle with cancer. Her family had announced that a funeral service would take place at All Saints’ Cathedral before her cremation on September 17.
A separate celebration of her life was scheduled for Saturday, September 19, at her home in Mulwanda Sub-location, Khwisero Constituency, Kakamega County.
Prof Lukoye also addressed the issue in his tribute, recalling conversations he had with Maureen about her wishes after her cancer diagnosis.
“When you became ill 11 years ago, I grieved for the lost opportunities and the limitations imposed on our imagination as a result of the cancer that took over a huge chunk of our lives,” Lukoye said.
He added that they had discussed her wishes after the diagnosis, including her desire to see their sons grow up and become established.
Although Atwoli accepted Maureen’s final wish, he made it clear that the experience had not changed his personal position on cremation.
He said he would not allow another member of his family to be cremated while he was alive.
“No other member of my family [will face it],” he said, joking that he planned to live until he was 130.
Atwoli also issued a strong warning to any lawyer who might present a future will from a family member requesting cremation.
“Any lawyer who will come with that will [choosing cremation] shall meet the father of goons. They won’t even near me,” he said.
He said any future funeral arrangements involving his family would follow what he described as their cultural traditions.
Atwoli also challenged the perception that cremation represents a modern approach to handling the remains of the dead.
“Many people say that cremation is now the modern way. It is not modern. It was there centuries ago,” he told mourners.
He urged Africans to continue observing their traditions, arguing that family remains an important source of support within African communities.
Atwoli also clarified that Maureen’s cremation was not prompted by a lack of a family home or burial space. He said Prof Lukoye has a modern home in Khwisero where the family could have buried Maureen.
“He [has] a modern home at our place in Khwisero, one of the most modern houses that anybody can own,” Atwoli said.
In his tribute, Lukoye reflected on Maureen’s long illness and their family life. He said he and their four sons were able to spend time with her during her final days after she developed breathing complications.
Lukoye said the family thanked Maureen for what she had done for them and reassured her that they would be able to manage the responsibilities she had worried about.
“I take solace in the fact that on the afternoon of Monday, September 7, 2026, as you battled the complications of your illness, the boys and I had plenty of time to speak with you, to thank you for all you have done in our lives, to express our love for you,” he said.
