President Uhuru Kenyatta made a special request to the late Kikuyu Benga musician John De Mathew over his funeral arrangements.
It is noted that the President asked the family to schedule the singer’s burial for this Saturday.
According to De Mathew’s close friend, Peter Kigia, who spent time with him on the day of his death, Uhuru asked that the burial date be pushed backward so as to allow him to attend the ceremony.
The President made the request noting that he is set to travel outside the country next week.
Read: Autopsy Report Shows De’ Mathew Died Due To Severe Internal Injuries
Kigia stated: “As artistes, we wanted the burial to be set for next week, but President Uhuru requested us to move it closer as he would love to grace the event. It was a humble request and we felt the need to honour it.”
An autopsy done on Monday revealed that De Mathew suffered internal injuries which led to his death. He had fractured ribs which in turn damaged his liver and pancreas.
Speaking on the report, Kihia mentioned: “It was an accident and the normal procedure calls for a postmortem to be carried out to clear the doubts. Sometimes someone can be killed and be placed in the car but his was just a normal accident, he died from internal injuries.”
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President Uhuru Kenyatta mourned the deceased as a gifted musician who nurtured young talent.
“As a nation, we were privileged to have had such a brilliant artiste who played a big role in promoting our African cultural heritage through his music. Indeed, we have lost an icon in the music industry. De’ Mathew championed and played a big role in preserving our cultural heritage,” the President said.
Deputy President William Ruto on his part described the Kikuyu singer as an “artistic, sociable and an eloquent performer” whose lyrics “carried undertones of societal ills, including alcoholism and promoting peace and cohesion in society.”
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