Amid growing complaints over lawlessness, traffic chaos and rising insecurity linked to funeral processions, the government has cracked down on the controversial “Reggae na Lami” phenomenon in Kakamega, banning all funeral processions and public mourning activities within the town’s Central Business District (CBD) and warning of tough action against those who flout the directive.
Authorities say the move is aimed at restoring order in the town centre, where funeral convoys have increasingly been blamed for disrupting business activities, paralysing traffic and providing cover for criminal behaviour.
In issuing the directive, security officials also designated alternative routes for mourners transporting bodies for burial in a bid to minimise disruption while preserving the dignity of funeral ceremonies.
The ban follows mounting complaints from residents and business owners who accuse participants in the increasingly popular Reggae na Lami processions of engaging in disorderly conduct, smoking bhang, obstructing roads and contributing to a general sense of insecurity within the town.
Announcing the ban, Kakamega Deputy County Commissioner Titus Mulei said no funeral procession would henceforth be permitted to pass through the CBD.
