This archive report was first published on 8 July 2021.
On a recent day in Nyandarua county, a group of women were spotted digging a grave, a task typically reserved for young men in the community.
According to eyewitness Gilbert Njogu, who spoke to K24 Digital under the cover of anonymity, the scene was astonishing.
"I had never seen anything like that before," Njogu said. "The work of digging graves is customarily reserved for energetic young men in this community, so seeing women performing the task was shocking."
Njogu took photos of the scene, which he circulated in local WhatsApp groups, sparking a national debate.
Debate raged on, with some attributing the women's actions to the alleged absence of young men in the community, who had allegedly absconded their customary role in favor of drink.
Others suggested that young men had shunned the task after leaders in the community, including the deceased, berated them.
However, the women involved in the grave-digging effort told a different story.
"A couple of women and I had prepared tea in a neighbor's homestead in readiness for the young men who would come and dig the grave," said Lydia Muthoni, who was among the women photographed digging the grave.
"We discovered there were only a handful of men present, and the ground was very hard. Some of the men present were old and frail. When we delivered tea and snacks to the gravesite with the other women, we decided to assist with the digging as the men took refreshments."
The women's actions sparked a backlash from the community, with some accusing them of tainting the image of the village and subjecting young men to national ridicule.
"I am keeping a low profile for now," Njogu said. "I never expected the photos would stoke this level of opprobrium."
Published on July 8, 2021, at 10:44 PM EAT.
