Busia: 88-Year-Old Man Buys Third Coffin For 'Future' Burial

On Monday, December 25, the Kenyan newspapers widely reported on the Christmas celebrations, with former president Uhuru Kenyatta emphasising values of compassion, sharing, and communion.

The dailies also reported on the landmark ruling by the Vatican on December 18 that has sparked debate and divided the Church.

1. The Standard

The daily reported that Alloys Ominangombe cuts the figure of a man at peace with himself and the world.

In 2006, Ominangombe shocked residents of Okatekok village in Teso South, Busia county when he bought himself a coffin, not because he was ailing on the verge of death but because he was being cautious and preparing for the inevitable.

"I do not want my children to struggle to get a coffin for me when I am gone. If they have anything to give to me, they should do it now while I am still alive," Ominangombe said.

His new dark brown coffin has brass handles around the lower edge and a cross with the image of Jesus on the lid. The interior is decorated with white laces.

2. Daily Nation

The newspaper reports that Archbishop Phillip Anyolo of the Archdiocese of Nairobi has defiled Pope Francis by warning clergy in his jurisdiction not to bless same-sex couples and those in regular unions.

In a letter to parishioners and clergy dated December 23, Anyolo said any move to bless such unions would be "contrary to the word of God and teachings of the Church, African traditions, the laws of our nations, and would be scandalous to the faithful."

"To make sure the fundamental doctrinal positions affirmed in the Declaration and the perennial teachings of the Church in marriage are upheld, all clergy residing and ministering in the Archdiocese of Nairobi are prohibited from blessing irregular relationships, unions, or same-sex couples," Anyolo said in the letter.

In a landmark ruling approved by Pope Francis, the Vatican said on December 18 that Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples as long as it is not part of regular church rituals or liturgies.

3. Taifa Leo

The Swahili publication reports that over the past decade, hundreds of families in Kwale county have benefited from the activities of Base Titanium.

The company has been carrying out ilmenite, rutile, and zircon mining operations in the region, creating many jobs and improving livelihoods in several other ways.

As the company winds up its operations, the task of restoring the minefields to their natural state is quite underway.

Base Titanium Limited, based in the Msambweni constituency, has so far managed to turn most of what would have been wasteland into green fields, covering all the pits and areas mined over the past 10 years.