EXPLAINER: WHY obituaries write “S/he died after a short illness”

 Obituaries bear one popular statement that mourners have heard for some time: S/he died after a brief illness.

Here are some reasons why you will keep reading that statement in death and funeral announcements especially now we live under Covid-19 pandemic and other medical challenges of 21^st century.

They don’t want to reveal the actual sickness that killed the person.

The families and friends of the deceased will use that statement in order not to disclose what really led to the person’s death.

The person that died wasn’t sick for a long time.

This may be due to the deceased developing a sudden terminal illness within some days or months hence killing him or her.

In this case, the family of the deceased will disclose to the public that the person "died of a brief illness".

On November 24, 2021, the BBC wrote a headline thus: Bradley Stock Town Council mayor dies after a short illness. It did not reveal what killed Councillor Michael Hill.

On June 29, 2015, Nation wrote a story headlined: Nation editor dies after short illness.

Ten months ago, The Standard headlined: Award-winning novelist Henry Kulet dies after short illness.

Nine months ago, another Kenyan newspaper reported “Nairobi politician dies after a short illness”.  People Daily said that Nairobi politician Ibrahim Ahmed had been battling kidney complications over the years.

Mr Ahmed vied for the Kamkunji MP seat in 2017 on a Wiper party ticket.

STORY By MUSYOKA NGUI, EDITED By BONIFACE MWANIKI