The Nairobi County government has unveiled plans to establish a private wing at the 67-year-old City Mortuary to compete with other private funeral homes in attracting high-end clients. The private wing will feature ultramodern cooling facilities, a chapel, and other funeral services like hearses and body-lowering gears. The move is aimed at restoring dignity in public services, according to Tom Nyakaba, the Public Health Chief Officer, under the leadership of Governor Johnson Sakaja. The wing will also have a customer service department staffed by five representatives and ten security officers.
The City Mortuary is one of the largest facilities in the East Africa region and has six coolers that can accommodate 200 bodies. However, the number of bodies has been decreasing over the years as private mortuaries continue to attract most residents due to their attractive services. On average, the mortuary now receives only five bodies per day compared to 30 in the past. Additionally, a large number of bodies remain unclaimed at the mortuary, which has affected its revenues.
The county government’s intervention seeks to reverse the trend by offering attractive services and restoring dignity in public services. The private wing will handle 24 bodies simultaneously and is equipped with modern facilities to give proper and dignified services to Nairobians who have lost their loved ones. The customer service department will offer personalized services to clients, while security officers will ensure the safety of visitors.
The move comes at a time when the demand for funeral services is on the rise, with a population of about 5 million in Nairobi. Private funeral homes such as Lee Funeral Home, Chiromo Funeral Parlour, Zion Funeral Services, Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Homes, Kenyatta University Funeral Home, Lona Funeral Services, and Umash Funeral Home have invested heavily in the industry. Therefore, the establishment of a private wing at the City Mortuary will increase competition in the industry, offering clients more options and raising the standards of service delivery.
In January this year, the Nairobi City County government disposed of 292 unclaimed bodies at different county mortuaries in Nairobi, with 214 of the bodies lying at the City Mortuary. The private wing at the City Mortuary will seek to avoid such occurrences by offering attractive services that will attract more clients and enhance its revenues. The county government’s intervention is a step in the right direction in ensuring that Nairobians who have lost their loved ones receive proper and dignified services as a mark of last respect.
