Nairobi County has taken a major step towards addressing the city’s long-standing burial space crisis by acquiring 150 acres of land for new cemeteries. The land, comprising 100 acres at Kamiti Prison and 50 acres at Embakasi Garrison, is intended to ease pressure on the overburdened Lang’ata Cemetery, which has operated beyond capacity for years.
Chief Officer for Public Health Tom Nyakaba confirmed the acquisition while appearing before the Nairobi County Assembly’s committee. “We have secured 100 acres at Kamiti and 50 acres at Embakasi Garrison to serve as new burial sites. These spaces are being prepared and will be ready for use shortly,” he said.
Lang’ata Cemetery, officially declared full in 2001, continues to be Nairobi’s busiest cemetery, handling approximately 30 burials each week. Its central location and accessibility via both public and private transport have sustained its popularity, despite its overcrowded state.
Nairobi currently manages nine other cemeteries, including Forest Road, Pangani, Mutuini, Uthiru, Southlands, Kariokor Christian, Ruai, and parcels near the National Police Service. However, most of these are community-run and lack the centralized oversight necessary for long-term sustainability. The county aims to bring them under a unified management structure to improve service delivery.
Past efforts to acquire new burial land have faced numerous setbacks. A 2009 attempt to purchase land in Mavoko ended in scandal and loss of public funds. Proposals to buy land in Kajiado or repurpose forest land near Lang’ata were thwarted by legal, financial, and environmental challenges. Notably, 2021 talks between the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services and the Kenya Forest Service failed to yield results.
The shortage has forced some families to bury loved ones in shallow graves or consider cremation—an option that remains culturally unpopular for many.
With the new Kamiti and Embakasi sites soon opening to the public, the county hopes to ease Lang’ata’s burden and offer dignified resting places for Nairobi’s residents. The move marks a significant breakthrough in tackling a decades-old urban planning and public health concern.
