Police to oversee all burials in Kilifi, says Governor Kingi
By People Daily, April 22, 2020
All burial ceremonies in Kilifi county will henceforth be supervised by police in new measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Governor Amason Kingi said it would be an offence for any family to bury their kin without notifying the police, and ordered village elders and Nyumba Kumi ambassadors to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
Speaking to journalists in Kilifi town, the governor said the measures are meant to stop the spread of the deadly virus following the confirmation of 10 cases in the coastal county.
Kingi, who was accompanied by County Commissioner Magu Mutindika, said bodies removed from public and private morgues will have to be accompanied by police to the burial sites while village elders and Nyumba Kumi ambassadors will have to notify the police before any burial of those who die at home can take place.
“Whenever a person dies at home, village elders and Nyumba Kumi ambassadors will have to notify the police, who must be present during the burial to ensure social distancing and other directives are followed,” he said.
The measures come amid continued defiance by many Kenyans to obey the directives issued to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“If you are keen on attending the burial of your loved one, you may be the next person to be buried after contracting the disease,” said Kingi.
The governor also warned residents against congregating in mnazi (local brew)drinking dens.
“Despite our directives, we recently found more than 200 people taking mnazi in one drinking den.
“What is more worrying is that they were sharing drinking containers and straws, a very sure way of spreading to virus,” he lamented.
Kingi added that his administration had contracted a garment-making company in Mtwapa to produce face masks that would be distributed free of charge to locals, starting with boda boda operators and traders. -KNA