This archive report was first published on 15 June 2020.
On June 14, 2020, the Kenyan government succumbed to public pressure and outlawed night burials of people who die of Covid-19.
The move comes after several incidents, particularly in Western Kenya, where victims have been buried at night amid protests from family members and locals.
Health Director General Patrick Amoth announced the ban during a daily briefing on the pandemic in Nyeri, stating that the government would send a circular to counties to remind them of the protocols on burial of Covid-19 victims.
"We are going to send an alert to the counties, to remind them of this protocol so that we have a dignified burial of those who succumb to Covid-19," Dr Amoth said.
He emphasized the need to be mindful of cultural practices, suggesting that if a culture dictates that burials should not take place at night, families should wait for 12 hours before proceeding with the burial.
The government has been criticized for violating the dignity of the dead, despite the World Health Organisation's guidance that dead bodies are generally not infectious.
Several families of Covid-19 patients have decried the manner in which their kin have been buried, alleging that the government did not let them have a say in the burials.
