Former Bungoma politician Edward Nabangi Tale was laid to rest in Bwake, Kabuchai constituency on Friday. It’s held that the late Nabangi succumbed to Covid-19. He passed away early on Wednesday morning. However, the events preceding the burial cast a different image as residents and Nabangi’s supporters chose to escort the body from Bungoma to the place of burial in Bwake, taking more than three hours.

The agitated supporters engaged in a chaotic confrontation with police officers who sought to ensure Ministry of Health’s protocols on funerals are upheld. They hurled teargas cannisters to disperse the crowd, and managed to establish control. The funeral went ahead in less than twenty minutes, with Health officials leading proceedings. A few people were allowed into the compound to witness the burial, as officers outside the compound engaged in running battles with supporters.
Written by Thaddeus Wachiye