Due to its “brutally honest” portrayal of the deceased, a funeral program for a young man from Meru County has caused a stir on social media.

The family of the late Deric Mutuma chose to forgo platitudes in favor of the harsh reality, although most eulogies are full of stories of generosity and aspirations.

In a eulogy circulating on social media, the family detailed the early life of the deceased and all his social life over the years since his birthday in 1990 in Kithuri village.

From Barbershop to “Evil-Doer”

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The family further noted that Mutuma attended Muchuune Primary School and later found work at a local hotel and a barbershop in the year 2011.

In most cases, eulogies of the deceased take a positive tone, with most families preferring to state good things about their loved one. However, for Mutuma, his narrative takes a dark and unexpected turn under the “DEATH” section.

In a move that has left many mourners and social media users stunned, the family detailed his descent into a life of crime.

“From there he started to be a criminal, thief, evil-doer, until the day he met his death… where he was killed by mob justice,” the eulogy reads in part.

The Great Debate: Should We Tell the Truth?

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Mutuma’s eulogy has reignited a fierce debate on social media platforms regarding the past and the present funeral etiquette.

In most communities, funerals of their loved ones have been criticized for “sanitizing” the lives of the deceased, often portraying even the most notorious and criminal individuals in society as “God-fearing” and “hardworking.”

Many have lauded the family’s courage, urging the public to use their lives well while still on earth, and suggesting that by acknowledging this in an eulogy can help prevent crime.

“This is how we end crime. If you know your legacy will be ‘thief’ in black and white, maybe you’ll think twice,” one X user commented.

Others argue that the family was too harsh. Critics suggest that such public shaming brings unnecessary trauma to the surviving family members and that “the dead cannot defend themselves.”

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Deric Mutuma’s euology circulating on social media