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A funeral service in Huruma village, Mwea, Kirinyaga County, turned chaotic on Wednesday when a swarm of bees attacked mourners attending the burial of Faith Njeri.
The sudden attack forced the mourners to flee for safety, leaving the body unattended for hours. Several individuals were injured in the attack and had to be rushed to a local health facility for treatment.
The incident occurred around 2 p.m. on Tuesday when the bees descended from nearby trees, leaving mourners stunned and scrambling for cover.
Reverend Irene Gitari of the ACK Church explained that the funeral service had taken place at St. Luke Wang’uru Church and had concluded smoothly. However, the chaos erupted at the gravesite during the final prayers as the coffin was being lowered into the grave.
“When they began placing soil back into the grave, the bees emerged from the trees and attacked, forcing everyone to run,” she said.
The coffin was left unattended for several hours as mourners sought refuge from the bees. Some used makeshift bee smokers in a desperate attempt to drive the bees away, hoping to resume the burial rites.
Peter Kamau, a funeral attendee, suggested that the bees were attracted to the scent of sweet perfumes worn by some women, causing the swarm to target over 300 mourners.
Once the bees dispersed, a few remaining attendees returned to the gravesite and quietly completed the burial. “After the bees calmed down, those of us who were still around the homestead returned and finished the burial,” Kamau said, noting that the service ended abruptly.
