Wailing relatives, long speeches, elaborate funerals. For many Kenyans, 'matangas' (funerals) are multi-day gatherings and deeply traditional, with eccentric burial rites to emphasize the belief that the dead are....well, not really dead.
So many Kenyans are uncomfortable with the rise of cremations, long considered taboo.
Cremation involves reducing of the body to its basic elements through a process that exposes it to open flames, intense heat and evaporation. This is done in a specially designed furnace called a cremation chamber or retort.
Many crematories require a container for the body such as a casket appropriate for cremation or a rigid cardboard/bamboo container.
Last year, Nairobi Health County Executive Hitan Majevda urged Kenyans to consider cremation as an option, as it is ''less expensive''.
"Land is expensive. In Nairobi the county does not have space anymore. Lang'ata is full and we have no space for burial. So cremation for us is the only option as a county because we have no space. The Cost of cremation is Sh13,000 for an adult while for a child it is Sh6,000," he explained."
So is cremation a less expensive option?
Costs
The costs range from as low as Ksh 12, 000 to as high as Ksh100, 000. The differences in cremation prices depend on where your loved one is being cremated and the materials used in the exercise.
The Hindu crematorium at Kariokor reportedly charges a flat rate of Ksh10,000 for  Hindu members and Ksh22,500 for  non-Hindus.
Cremation at Lang'ata cemetery costs Ksh17,000 for an adult and Ksh 12,000 for a child.
It costs Ksh 65,000 to cremate a loved one at Montezuma Monalisa funeral home.
The process

1. The deceased is identified and proper authorization is obtained- Get a Death notification signed and stamped by authorities & a burial permit.
2. Inform the crematorium of your choice 24/48 hours in advance of your intention to bring in the deceased for cremation. Remember to carry the proper documentation.
3. Most crematoriums require you to pay the full amount in advance.
4. The body is prepared and placed into a proper container.
5. The container with the body is moved to the "retort" or cremation chamber.
6. After cremation, the remaining metal is removed and the remains are ground.
7. The "ashes" are transferred to either a temporary container or in an urn provided by the family.

What to do with the ashes You have a wide range of choices. They can be put in a niche in a columbarium, buried, scattered, or kept by the family. Cremated remains might be divided among family members to be kept, sprinkled or buried in several different places.  The ashes are sterile and pose no health hazard. Their disposition is generally not regulated by law.
* Bury in a cemetery You could choose earth burial in either a regular grave or in a special urn section in a cemetery.
* Bury on private property You may bury the cremated remains on your own land, or on another's property with the owner's permission. If the cremains are to be buried other than in a cemetery, they should be removed from the container when interred. Keep in mind that unless you have established a family cemetery on your property, the land may be sold for other purposes, and the remains disturbed or rendered inaccessible.
* Scatter on land/Sea/Forest/Mountain top You may disperse the remains almost anywhere as long as you are discreet. Scattering of cremated remains over an area with special significance for the deceased appeals to many families, and is legal in most jurisdictions.
* Keep at home You might prefer to place the remains in a container special to the deceased, such as a hand-carved box or favorite vase, and display it on a bookshelf or mantelpiece. Or you could buy a decorative urn from a funeral home or cemetery; prices range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.
* Other choices Every year brings new ways of memorializing a loved one's cremains. Incorporating the ashes in jewelry, bullets, space rockets, coral reefs, or fireworks are among the possibilities. Check the internet for more details about these and other options.
Transporting the remains Cremated remains may be mailed or carried by hand to another destination. For mailing, they must be placed in an inner container within a padded outer container. If you are taking them on a plane you should leave them in the box just as it came from the crematory, with the official documents attached. Security requires that they be x-rayed, so they must be in a non-metal container.
*Would you consider cremation? Let us know by taking our poll