Kakamega leaders renew calls for ban on disco Matanga

Religious and political leaders in Kakamega County have renewed calls for a ban on disco matanga and night dances following the fatal stabbing of a young man at a funeral vigil in Ubulechia on Saturday night.

The leaders want security agencies to enforce the directive issued by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to prohibit disco matanga and night dances, citing rising insecurity and the negative impact  of the practice on young people.

Speaking after Sunday prayers at St Stephen Maraba Anglican Church in Mumias East, Lubinu Anglican Church priest Rev Timothy Mganda urged religious denominations to work closely with security agencies to ensure that night dances are not allowed during funeral vigils.

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Rev Mganda condemned the violence witnessed at a funeral vigil in Vilecha, where a group of youths reportedly stormed the gathering at night and attacked mourners with machetes and blunt objects, killing one young man and robbing mourners of their belongings.

“As church leaders, in partnership with the government, we do not support activities such as the disco matanga witnessed in Vilecha, where youths attacked mourners at night and hacked them, resulting in the death of a young man,” said Rev. Mganda.

He called on the government to investigate the group behind the attacks and establish who was financing or sponsoring its activities.

"We cannot remain silent as a church or as a government. We are calling on the government to intervene and establish who these youths are, who is financing them and who is sponsoring them to carry out such acts of violence,” he said.

The cleric also urged local security officials to work with religious leaders and the community to develop measures to curb insecurity associated with night dances.

His concerns were echoed by former Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, who said disco matanga had no benefits for bereaved families, neighbours or the wider community.

Washiali said that during his tenure as a legislator, he did not support the practice and called on the area’s current MP to engage the Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) and the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) to find a lasting solution to the problem.

“During my time as the MP for Mumias, and later Mumias East, I would not have allowed disco matanga. We are appealing to the current MP to sit down with the DCC and OCPD and provide direction on how we can live without disco matanga,” Washiali said.

He argued that the practice had contributed to violence and negatively affected the education of school-going children who attended the night dances.

"Disco matanga does not benefit anyone. It does not help the bereaved family, the neighbours or anybody else. There is no benefit whatsoever,” he said.

Washiali further warned that the involvement of school-going children in night dances could affect their academic performance.

"The fights associated with disco matanga are unnecessary. Our children, who should be in school, attend these night dances, and this also affects their performance in school,” he said.

Last year Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, while on a week-long visit in the Western region, ordered a crackdown on criminal gangs and a ban on night vigils.

"We have witnessed cases of insecurity due to night vigils, which are common in the Western region, and I am ordering county commissioners and security agencies to move with speed and put to an end the Disco Matanga and criminal gangs," said Murkomen.

The renewed calls come amid growing concerns over insecurity during funeral gatherings in parts of Western Kenya, with leaders urging security agencies to enforce existing restrictions on night dances and protect mourners.

The leaders said concerted efforts by the government, religious organisations and local communities were necessary to prevent further loss of lives and restore security during funeral vigils.