Mt Elgon residents demand mortuary to reduce cost of transporting dead bodies

By , K24 Digital
On Tue, 5 Oct, 2021 09:52 | < 1 min read
Residents of Mt. Elgon constituency in Bungoma county have called on the administration of Governor Wycliffe Wangamati, to set up a mortuary in Kapsokwony area to reduce the cost of transporting dead bodies.
Mt Elgon Sub-county Hospital in Bungoma County.PHOTO/Emanuel Tarus
Residents of Mt. Elgon constituency in Bungoma county have called on the administration of Governor Wycliffe Wangamati, to set up a mortuary in Kapsokwony area to reduce the cost of transporting dead bodies.

Residents of Mt. Elgon constituency in Bungoma county have called on the administration of Governor Wycliffe Wangamati, to set up a mortuary in Kapsokwony area to reduce the cost of transporting dead bodies. 

Speaking at Kimabole village during the burial of one resident, Silas Cheren a human rights activist challenged the ministry of health in Bungoma county to consider their plea. 

The activist said people of Kapsokwony are forced to travel over 42 kilometers to carry the bodies of their loved ones from mortuaries domiciled in Bungoma town. 

"I thought devolution was meant to bring services closer to the people, but I wonder why the county government has not constructed a mortuary in Kapsokwony Sub County Hospital,” Cheren paused. 

The sub-county hospital which serves a population of 78,873 people drawn from 15,256 households has a holding room and not a mortuary.

The nearest mortuary is in the neighboring Kimilili constituency at Dreamland hospital. 

Cheren said that dying is a fact and people should not fear demanding for such a crucial facility in a health facility especially a Level 4 hospital-like Kapsokwony.

"We are all mortal beings, at one point we shall die and therefore we should not be denied a mortuary. It is very expensive to transport a corpse all the way from Bungoma town," Cheren added. 

Mt. Elgon constituency is dominated by Sabaots a sub-tribe of the Kalenjin community who fear talking about death leave alone the mortuary. 

In West Pokot County, for example, the county government does not license the sale of coffins. When death strikes in the county, loved ones at forced to travel to Kitale town in Trans Nzoia County. 

This comes two months after Trans Nzoia County Governor Patrick Khaemba banned the display of coffins and hearses around Kitale County Referral Hospital.