A bizarre incident unfolded in Huruma village, Mwea, Kirinyaga County, on Wednesday when a swarm of bees attacked mourners during a funeral service. The attack occurred as the coffin was being lowered into the grave, forcing over 300 attendees to flee for safety, leaving the body unattended for hours.
Peter Kamau, an attendee, suggested that the bees were attracted by the sweet scents of perfume worn by some of the women present, triggering the chaos. As bees descended from nearby trees around 2pm on Tuesday, confusion reigned, with several mourners injured in the scramble to escape.
Reverend Irene Gitari, from the ACK church, explained that the funeral for Faith Njeri had been proceeding smoothly at the St. Luke Wang’uru church before the swarm struck. She recounted how, just as mourners began to cover the coffin with soil, the bees attacked, forcing everyone to scatter.
In the aftermath, the coffin was left alone in the grave for several hours. Some mourners used makeshift bee smokers in an attempt to drive the bees away. After the swarm subsided, those remaining returned quietly to complete the burial, though the service ended abruptly and unceremoniously.
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