Two years ago, Sandra Kiprono detailed her funeral plans in a viral Facebook post.
Sandra Kiprono planned her own funeral and shared its detailed budget on Facebook. Two years later, she is dead and was buried at a low-key ceremony.
Few took her post seriously but last week, that unsettling message became a reality for her family.
Ms Kiprono was laid to rest in a solemn ceremony at her family’s home in Kiplabai village in Kapsowar, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
According to family sources, she died suddenly after a short illness. Her death, at the age of 29, has left her community in shock, mainly because she seemed to have seen it coming.
In her now-viral 2023 Facebook post, Ms Kiprono detailed her funeral plans, listing a budget of over Sh100,000. The expenses included Sh2,500 for a postmortem, Sh600 in mortuary fees, Sh40,000 for a coffin and hearse, and Sh20,000 for family upkeep.
The message was accompanied by a selfie and a direct message to politicians and acquaintances, urging them not to attend her funeral.
“Now that I am alive and suffering, even Sh200 is hard to come by. When I die, I should be cremated. My mum won’t lack firewood or a matchbox,” she wrote.
“And to the honourable ones who are used to contributing Sh2,000 at funerals, don’t bother coming to mine,” she added.
Sandra Kiprono's 2023 post on Facebook detailing her funeral plans.
The post, initially dismissed by some as a moment of emotional venting, has since gained renewed attention across social media platforms, with many users expressing sorrow, confusion, and regret.
It has also opened up conversations about the hidden emotional struggles young people face, often behind smiling selfies and carefully curated online personas.
Kapsowar Sub-county Police Commander Fanuel Nasio confirmed the young woman’s death, saying it had been attributed to natural causes.
He said Ms Kiprono worked as a saleslady for a microfinance institution and was familiar to local police officers, many of whom attended the funeral and helped cover burial costs.
“She posted the message back in 2023 at a time of family difficulties. Her parents had separated, and she was under pressure, particularly with school fees and other personal challenges,” said Mr Nasio.
Although the nature of her illness has not been publicly disclosed, police have ruled out foul play. Family members, still grieving, declined to comment further.
Friends and neighbours remember Ms Kiprono as quiet and bright, but reserved. Many now admit they had no idea of the extent of her emotional struggles.
“It is heartbreaking. I wish someone had reached out earlier, maybe things would have been different,” said one resident of Kiplabai village who knew Ms Kiprono in school.
Ms Kiprono’s case has also been linked to the growing number of incidents that highlight the urgent need for mental health support, especially among young people in rural Kenya.
