By Faith Anene, Kakamega
The wail of sirens pierced through the humid afternoon air as a convoy snaked its way through Kakamega town.
Young men, some shirtless and intoxicated, danced wildly ahead of a hearse draped in grief and blaring reggae music. Motorists hooted in frustration. Traders hurriedly pulled down their shopfronts. Traffic grounded to a halt.
Then came the coffin. Placed defiantly in the middle of the busy Kakamega–Kisumu Highway, it became the symbol of a growing culture authorities now say has crossed the line from mourning into lawlessness.
On Thursdays and Fridays, are the peak days for body transportation and rural burials across Western Kenya where the highway often turns into a nightmare for motorists.
Long lines of vehicles crawl bumper-to-bumper as funeral convoys occupy sections of the road, with some mourners dancing in the middle of the highway while loud music blasts from trucks and motorcycles weave recklessly through traffic.
Matatus, school buses, traders transporting farm produce, and long-distance trucks are frequently trapped for hours in the growing gridlock stretching from Kakamega town toward Kisumu.
For many commuters, the once-busy transport corridor has increasingly become synonymous with delays, confusion, and fear.
In order to restore sanity, the government finally moved to pull the brakes on the controversial “Reggae na Lami” funeral processions that have increasingly turned roads into stages of chaos and intimidation.
Speaking in Kakamega town, Kakamega Central Deputy County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha announced an immediate ban on the activities, warning that anyone found participating in the disorderly processions would be arrested and prosecuted.
“We have banned Reggae na Lami activities in Kakamega; anyone found will be arrested and taken to court,” Kyatha declared firmly.
His words come amid mounting complaints from traders, motorists, and residents who say the once-rare funeral send-offs have evolved into violent street spectacles marked by extortion, drug abuse, and destruction of property.
Authorities say hearse processions have frequently paralysed traffic within Kakamega town and along the Kakamega–Kisumu Highway, with youths allegedly blocking roads and demanding money from motorists and public service vehicle operators.
In some instances, businesses have reportedly suffered losses after rowdy mourners vandalised property during the processions.
Kyatha described the acts as unconstitutional and dangerous. “This is not mourning anymore. It has become a source of violence, intimidation and public disturbance,” he said. “We cannot allow a few individuals to inconvenience thousands of road users and business people.”
The DCC revealed that security agencies had received numerous reports of youths forcefully collecting money from motorists, with some of the proceeds allegedly being used to buy illicit alcohol and drugs.
He urged funeral organisers to conduct burials with dignity and restraint, warning that excessive public celebrations in the name of mourning would no longer be tolerated.
“Respect and appreciation should be shown to people while they are alive, not through chaotic displays after death,” Kyatha added.
The crackdown has also extended beyond daytime processions.
Philip Chunge backed the directive and warned residents against organising night-long disco-matanga ceremonies, saying such gatherings had become hotspots for insecurity and drug abuse.
“We are asking residents to cooperate with law enforcement officers. Anyone who violates these directives will face arrest,” Chunge warned.
