Residents of Riosiri location in South Mugirango had to endure rains to wait for another grave to be dug after the initial one was disputed by elders after another man was said to have accidentally fell in, it contrary to the tradition.
It is after this Tuesday morning incident that elderly people ordered digging of another grave as a way of maintaining traditions of the Abagusii community.
According to elder Alvin Makworo, it was a bad omen for a living person, who was not part of the team digging the grave, to fall into the grave since it might signal bad things in future for members of that particular family.
“This is not really a shock to some of us. When such a thing happens, we have to halt the entire exercise and dig a different one because it signaled danger in the family of the deceased,” said Makworo.
“We had to slaughter a goat to cleanse the place before we commenced digging another grave. It is difficult to question this tradition because it has been there since our forefathers,” he added.
However, a group of young people led by Erick Mosota criticised the tradition, terming it as backward and primitive.
“For how long we will be handcuffed by such retrogressive traditions? They have no meaning and it’s high time we realized that,” he said.
The deceased, Jackson Ochengo, was later buried successfully after the rituals had been performed in line with the constitution.