The Late Wangari Maathai was given a state funeral in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. The Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner died last month while undergoing treatment for cancer.

By Michael Kalowki, Nairobi

Thousands of mourners attended an inter-faith funeral service held in the city's Uhuru Park. Family members planted a tree in the park as a symbol to honour the late Ms Maathai's strive to conserve the environment.

"The best way we can honour her is to carry on the great work she started, especially in the field of environmental conservation, human rights and democracy," said Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki in a speech delivered to those gathered at the event.

"As a woman I would like to be like her. She is a great woman. She is a winner," said Felista Kibe one of the mourners at the event.

"Wangari Maathai was a great hero. She went through so much for our nation," said Stella Gacheri, as she watched from an area set aside for the public to follow the proceedings. "From her we learnt that it is not easy to accomplish what you want to accomplish in life. We have to go through thick and thin, but we should not give up. She fought so much for women's freedom, preserving the forest and the trees in our nation," she added

Wangari Maathai had expressed wishes to be cremated. This move has sparked considerable debate in the country's media.

"It is very new in this country, to have a cremation," said Evans Kanyeki, as he watched the funeral procession making its way through the city streets to a nearby crematorium. "It is commendable but it is an idea most Kenyans are still trying to grasp. We hope that this sends a message that even in her last resting place she strived to conserve the environment and save that tree which would have made that coffin," he noted.