The burial of a 33-year-old man in Narok was stopped Friday over a missing head.
The body was beheaded during the recent clashes in Olpusimuro in Narok.
A family source said they had agreed to bury the body without the head after a fruitless search.
Elders, however, swung into action stopping the move.
They said doing so would bring a bad omen to the family and community.“The elders met with the family and after consultations, the burial was postponed to a later date yet to be set. Bad omen might befall the family if the man is buried without a head. The police are still searching for it,” area chief Benjamin Maritim said.
Elders from the two communities that were fighting have also been involved in the matter.
“Elders from the two communities will meet and find if those involved in the fight may disclose where the head was taken. It is a complicated matter but we hope to find the head soon,” the chief added.
Maritim said if efforts to find the head will not bear fruits, a ritual must be done to seek permission from the spirits to allow the burying of the body without a head.
“If the search becomes unsuccessful, elders will conduct rituals to protect the family against bad omens. They will speak to the body and plead with the spirit according to the traditions,” Maritim said.