Approximately 500 Kenyan activists held a mock state burial and burnt 221 caskets in front of the Parliament building on January 16. The 221 caskets represented each member of Parliament. The mock burial symbolized the public’s rejection of hefty perks that the outgoing members of Parliament were demanding as a send-off package; the 10th Parliament officially closed on Jan. 15.
The members of Parliament had awarded themselves a lucrative package including 9.5 million shillings ($108,758) each and a guarantee of a state burial, however the send-off package was rejected by Kenya president Mwai Kibaki.
The mock state burial was also meant to signify the end of one era and the birth of another, with presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for March 4, 2013.
Ric Francis is an independent photojournalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. His portfolio can be viewed at http://www.ricfrancis.net.
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