The death of popular Kisii TikToker MC Ogatwoni, whose real name was Samuel Bwonda Miruka, has plunged fans and residents into mourning, with his unusual burial wishes adding a twist to the grief surrounding his passing.
MC Ogatwoni died on Monday morning following a grisly road accident at Tendere area in Ogembo, Bomachoge Chache, Kisii County.
According to accounts from police and family members, he was riding a motorcycle when it collided head-on with another motorcycle at Tendere Corner on the Kisii-Kilgoris highway, a stretch known for frequent accidents.
He sustained serious injuries and was rushed by good Samaritans and boda boda riders to Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH), where he died while receiving treatment. His body was later moved to the hospital’s mortuary as police launched investigations into the accident.
Since news of his death broke, fans and fellow content creators have flocked to the mortuary to pay their last respects, prompting hospital security to regulate access to prevent congestion.
By Tuesday noon, dozens of young people had gathered outside the facility, recording tribute videos and seeking an opportunity to view his body.
Hospital management urged fans to coordinate with the family on official arrangements for viewing the body. The outpouring of grief has also been evident online.
By Tuesday noon, Ogatwoni’s TikTok account had amassed 95,900 followers, with the number reportedly rising as fans revisited his videos and shared tributes.
Beyond his comedy, however, those who knew MC Ogatwoni remember him as a community-minded young man who readily stepped forward whenever tragedy struck.
Whether it was a road accident, a fire that destroyed a home or market stall, or floods that displaced residents during the rainy season, he was often among the first to respond. He helped victims, mobilised boda boda riders and contributed money whenever he could.
“He was a first responder before the other responders came. If there was an accident in Kisii, Ogatwoni would be there helping,” said Peter Onkeo, a boda boda rider in Kisii Town.
The TikToker also worked as a sound engineer for a local events company, hiring out public address systems, speakers and microphones for funerals, weddings, church crusades and political rallies.
Colleagues remember him as a dependable worker whose humour could lighten the mood even when events became stressful.
As mourners gathered at his rural home in Nyacheki to console his family, old TikTok videos resurfaced, sparking debate over whether his final wishes should be honoured to the letter.
Popular Kisii TikToker MC Ogatwoni, whose real name was Samuel Bwonda Miruka.
Photo credit: Pool
In the clips, MC Ogatwoni outlines how he would like his funeral conducted. His unusually serious tone stands in contrast to the humour that endeared him to thousands of followers.
Among his requests was that he be buried in a green coffin, which he claimed to have purchased before his death.
He reportedly said he had bought the coffin in Kisii Town for Sh20,000, insisting that green was his preferred colour and an important part of his personal brand.
The Daily Nation could not independently establish whether he had purchased the coffin or where it might be stored.
A spot check at coffin shops in Kisii Town on Tuesday found that prices generally ranged between Sh18,000 and Sh40,000, while green coffins were reportedly uncommon and might require custom orders.
His wishes extended to the grave itself. Rather than a conventional earthen grave, Ogatwoni wanted his final resting place cemented and tiled, with the tiles clearly visible and the grave kept clean and fenced.
He was equally particular about the photograph to be used in his funeral programme. He reportedly instructed his family not to select an arbitrary image from his phone gallery, but to use a specific portrait of him wearing replica military regalia, complete with a jungle-green jacket, beret and boots.
The outfit was a familiar feature of his online persona, in which he often mimicked chiefs, village elders and police bosses.
He also named the pastor he wanted to preside over his funeral: Pastor Peter Morwabe of Gospel Embassy Chapel in Kisii.
“Nataka nikifa mnizike kwa coffin ya green, yenye nilishanunua elfu ishirini Kisii. Kaburi yangu muiweke tiles, na picha ya eulogy muweke ile ya military, na pastor wangu awe Peter Morwabe wa Gospel Embassy ,” he says in one of the videos.
Military photograph on eulogy poster
Loosely translated, he said: “I want you to bury me in a green coffin when I die, one that I have already bought in Kisii for Sh20,000. Tile my grave, use my military photograph on the eulogy poster, and have my pastor, Peter Morwabe of Gospel Embassy, officiate at my funeral.”
When contacted by The Nation on Tuesday afternoon, Pastor Morwabe spoke emotionally about his friendship with the deceased.
He described MC Ogatwoni as more than a friend, saying the two shared a close bond despite the demands of his work as a content creator.
“He was my close friend. He used to attend church here at Gospel Embassy Chapel sometimes and always asked me to pray for him. He would tell me, ‘Pastor, pray for my content, pray for my life, pray for my hustle.’
“He was very humble despite his fame. He never missed my outreach programme when he was around,” Pastor Morwabe said.
The pastor described Ogatwoni’s death as a major loss to the community, particularly to young people who looked up to him.
“He was a young man who used his talent to bring people together, to preach peace and make people laugh. He mentored many small TikTokers in Kisii. We have lost a pillar among the youths,” he said.
Asked whether he would honour MC Ogatwoni’s wish to preside over his burial, Pastor Morwabe said he intended to attend, regardless of whether he was included in the official programme.
“He was my son. He chose me personally, I will be there to lay my friend to rest and ensure he gets a befitting send-off. That is the least I can do for him. I cannot miss it,” he said.
Ogatwoni’s burial wishes have elicited mixed reactions in Kisii. Some fans insist that his requests should be respected, while some elders in Ogembo argue that burial arrangements are a collective family and clan responsibility.
Supporters who identify themselves as Team Ogatwoni say honouring his wishes would be the ultimate tribute to his life and online persona.
Some have reportedly begun organising fundraising efforts on TikTok Live to help the family meet the cost of tiling and cementing the grave, as well as purchasing green paint should the coffin he mentioned prove unavailable.
For some elders, however, the requests represent a departure from familiar burial traditions. Within Abagusii communities, funeral arrangements often involve consultations among relatives and clan elders, making decisions a collective undertaking rather than an exclusively individual choice.
By Tuesday evening, the family had yet to publicly confirm whether it would honour all his requests, including the green coffin, tiled grave, military-themed portrait and preferred pastor.
Relatives at his Nyacheki home were said to be grappling with the shock of his death as they awaited a broader family meeting, including clan elders, to deliberate on the burial date and arrangements.
MC Ogatwoni built his following through witty commentary on Kisii politics, village life and relationships, delivered largely in deep Ekegusii and Swahili and accompanied by his trademark cap and military-style jacket. His final TikTok post, published three days before the accident, had reportedly attracted more than 200,000 views.
