Grief and unanswered questions hung heavy in the air as 39-year-old businessman Tirus Maina Gikonyo was laid to rest in Mukurwe-ini, Nyeri County.
Maina tragically drowned alongside 22-year-old Fridah Warau Kamuyu on January 17, after his Nissan X-Trail plunged into Titanic Dam in Juja, Kiambu County. Eyewitnesses recalled hearing desperate cries for help in the pitch-dark night before the car submerged.
At the emotional funeral, the family took strict control to avoid public scrutiny. Departing from traditional Kenyan send-offs, no public speeches, family tributes, or life photos were allowed.
A local organizing committee member revealed that the family scrapped a detailed eulogy, replacing it with a brief three-paragraph text. Strangely, the program omitted any mention of Maina’s wife, children, or his cause of death.
“He had many friends because of his machinery business,” his widow, Margaret Kiiru, had earlier told reporters with notable dignity, explaining he called her at 7:00 PM claiming to be in a meeting.
Autopsy reports confirmed both died from drowning. Police later found the car’s gear lever engaged in Drive, suggesting Maina drove forward into the deep waters following a brief disagreement.