Homabay Official Urges Mourners to Plant Trees Before Eating at Burials

Burials are usually costly affairs among people of the lake region.

Luos are known for spending a lot of money, running into millions when laying to rest their departed kin.

Part of the money used in funerals is spent on food and a lot of people have taken advantage of this to start catering businesses which get most of their profits every weekend when most funerals are held.

A proposal by an executive committee member in Homa Bay may however help bereaved families reduce the burden of feeding guests during funerals.

Dr Joash Aloo who heads the environment department at the county government wants mourners to go to funerals to plant trees before they can eat.

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His proposal is meant to conserve the environment by increasing forest cover.

But it will help families who have lost their kin to reduce the funeral budget because not so many people in Homa Bay like planting trees.

The county has one of the lowest tree cover, at less than four percent.

According to Dr Aloo, compelling mourners to plant trees before they eat at funerals is one of the ways of protecting the environment.

“Let no one eat at a funeral before planting a tree at the homestead of the bereaved family. Soiled hands that one used when planting trees should be the gate pass to the catering section,” the county executive said.

In his proposal, Dr Aloo wants the least number of trees planted during funerals to correspond with the age of the deceased.

It means, if someone dies at 90, the number of trees planted should be at least 90.

“Buying tree seedlings and planting them at a funeral is not an expensive affair. We want funerals to be accompanied by a tree planting ceremony,” Dr Aloo said.

He accused some people of taking advantage of funerals to get free meals.

According to the executive, some mourners do not support bereaved families in organizing funerals through financial support, but will always eat.

Dr Aloo said he will lead the exercise at some of the funerals he intends to go to soon.

“Planting trees at a funeral is also a show of respect to the dead,” he said.