Kyotera built his tomb 5 years ago
Mar 21, 2009
He was not sure other people would give him a decent burial. He also did not want his survivors to bear the brunt of his funeral expenses yet he wanted to rest in peace after his death. So he had to plan.
Mzee Gabriel Kyotera
By Chris Ahimbisibwe
He was not sure other people would give him a decent burial. He also did not want his survivors to bear the brunt of his funeral expenses yet he wanted to rest in peace after his death. So he had to plan.
Gabriel Kyotera, 75, built himself a tomb and bought a coffin five years ago but death has not come as early as he expected. “Nobody would build me such a tomb. That’s why I chose to do it myself. My brothers and sisters are all dead. Even my adult children whom I had educated have died. I am now left with only three children and all of them are in school,†he narrated.
Since 1992, Kyotera’s limbs have been paralysed. He has gone to Mbarara, Mulago and Nairobi hospitals, where he was advised that his condition could not be reversed. He also tried traditional healers.
“I did not expect to live until now. I was badly off by the time I built the tomb. Even now my condition is getting worse every day,†said Kyotera, who lives adjacent to Ndekye trading centre on the Bushenyi-Kasese highway.
The coffin, kept in the spare room next to Kyotera’s bedroom, is wrapped in a polythene sheet. Leaning against the wall, beside the coffin are two iron sheets and a wire mesh for the grave.
The tomb, a few metres from the main house, is cleaned daily. The words: born 1934 and died 200_ are inscribed on the front of the tomb. Inside is an empty grave.
In the likely event that he lives till next year, he will have to rub off the last zero to read “died 20__â€. Most local people find Kyotera’s action weird and often gossip about it.
Paulo Aruho, a teacher, however does not agree with them. He says while it is against African norms to build one’s own tomb, Kyotera did well to plan. “I think it is good to reduce the burden on people who will bury him. I doubt that anybody would have built him such a tomb after his death.â€
Due to the suffering he is going through, Kyotera looks forward to the minute he will die.
Back in the days, he worked with the Government as a fisheries assistant and also carried out fish trade. That is no more.His wife Harriet Kiconco, whom he married in 1985, has always been a housewife.
“We are surviving on God’s mercy. I have been selling my land to look after the family but now it is getting finished,†Kyotera says, adding, “often the children are sent away for lack of school fees but I have nothing to do.â€
He thinks the district should create a welfare system for supporting helpless people like him. “The district officials should visit their areas and access the people who are in need of support.â€
By Chris Ahimbisibwe
He was not sure other people would give him a decent burial. He also did not want his survivors to bear the brunt of his funeral expenses yet he wanted to rest in peace after his death. So he had to plan.
Gabriel Kyotera, 75, built himself a tomb and bought a coffin five years ago but death has not come as early as he expected. “Nobody would build me such a tomb. That’s why I chose to do it myself. My brothers and sisters are all dead. Even my adult children whom I had educated have died. I am now left with only three children and all of them are in school,†he narrated.
Since 1992, Kyotera’s limbs have been paralysed. He has gone to Mbarara, Mulago and Nairobi hospitals, where he was advised that his condition could not be reversed. He also tried traditional healers.
“I did not expect to live until now. I was badly off by the time I built the tomb. Even now my condition is getting worse every day,†said Kyotera, who lives adjacent to Ndekye trading centre on the Bushenyi-Kasese highway.
The coffin, kept in the spare room next to Kyotera’s bedroom, is wrapped in a polythene sheet. Leaning against the wall, beside the coffin are two iron sheets and a wire mesh for the grave.
The tomb, a few metres from the main house, is cleaned daily. The words: born 1934 and died 200_ are inscribed on the front of the tomb. Inside is an empty grave.
In the likely event that he lives till next year, he will have to rub off the last zero to read “died 20__â€. Most local people find Kyotera’s action weird and often gossip about it.
Paulo Aruho, a teacher, however does not agree with them. He says while it is against African norms to build one’s own tomb, Kyotera did well to plan. “I think it is good to reduce the burden on people who will bury him. I doubt that anybody would have built him such a tomb after his death.â€
Due to the suffering he is going through, Kyotera looks forward to the minute he will die.
Back in the days, he worked with the Government as a fisheries assistant and also carried out fish trade. That is no more.His wife Harriet Kiconco, whom he married in 1985, has always been a housewife.
“We are surviving on God’s mercy. I have been selling my land to look after the family but now it is getting finished,†Kyotera says, adding, “often the children are sent away for lack of school fees but I have nothing to do.â€
He thinks the district should create a welfare system for supporting helpless people like him. “The district officials should visit their areas and access the people who are in need of support.â€