Family forced by police to bury kin at midnight after flouting COVID-19 protocols

A family at Kakur village in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County was forced to bury the body of a 25-year-old woman at midnight after flouting COVID-19 protocols.

The body of Mary Atieno, the mother of one who died a few days ago was forcefully buried in the presence of police officers from Pala police post and the area administration after obtaining reports that her family planned to hold an overnight vigil ahead of her burial on Thursday.

Mary’s body had been preserved at a mortuary in Rongo Sub- County and was transported home from the morgue last evening with intention of conducting night vigil despite such gatherings being banned by the government to stem the spread of COVID 19

According to Assistant Chief of Boya Sub Location Milton Kawino, the area security officers got a tip off from the village elders that the family had planned a night vigil ahead of the burial.

Kawino, who was accompanied by police officers, stormed the homestead at 9pm during the night vigil and forced the family to dig the grave at night and bury the body immediately in the presence of the security officers.

He says they had to enforce an anti-COVID-19 regulation which requires that the body must be buried the same day it has been removed from a mortuary to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

No one was arrested in the incident. However, the administrator called on the residents to adhere to Covid-19 rules on burials to reduce the rate of the virus transmission.