Chaos erupted during a funeral in Lwandeti Ward in Lugari Sub-County, Kakamega County, on Saturday after mourners turned on a pastor they accused of disregarding cultural traditions and disrespecting the grieving family.
Tensions rose after the unnamed clergyman allegedly barred Joseph Wafula, the father of a deceased young man, from delivering a tribute to his son , a role that mourners said holds deep cultural significance. Instead, the pastor reportedly chose to have a widowed in-law speak first, a decision that sparked outrage among those in attendance.
“In our culture, a parent must speak before an in-law,” Wafula said. “I disagreed, but the pastor insisted that the widow speak first. That is when mourners rejected it, saying it was against our cultural norms.”
The situation worsened when the pastor stood on the grave and began cursing family members after sensing the growing anger from the crowd. Eyewitnesses claimed this act further infuriated mourners, leading them to confront and eject him from the burial ceremony.
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In a video obtained by WKT, mourners are seen circling the grave, singing and carrying leaves, as the pastor stands atop the grave, seemingly shouting at the crowd.
Watch the video here.
“The pastor stood on the grave and began cursing the family. He did that for a while. That is when the family members decided it was not a must to conduct a burial ceremony with the help of the church,” said a female mourner.
Other mourners accused the pastor of having a history of similar behavior at previous funerals, criticizing what they described as his “dictatorship” during such solemn occasions.
“This is not the first time this pastor has done such an act at people’s funerals. We didn’t want his dictatorship here. That is why we dealt with him,” another mourner said.
Following the dramatic confrontation, calm was eventually restored, and the family chose to proceed with the burial without any further involvement from the church.
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