This archive report was first published on 15 June 2020.
On June 15, 2020, the Kenyan government finally relented to public pressure and banned night burials of COVID-19 victims.
The decision comes after several incidents in Western Kenya where victims were 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 reminding 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 that as long as the body has been taken care of well by public health officers, the body is safe, and that cultural practices should be respected.
"If a culture dictates that we don’t bury at night, please hold on for another 12 hours so that the burial is held the following day," he added.
The government had been criticized for violating the dignity of the dead, despite the World Health Organization (WHO) stating that dead bodies are generally not infectious.
Families of COVID-19 patients who have been buried by health officials 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.
