A form 3 student in Homa bay county, Elvis Odhiambo, suffered serious stab wounds and succumbed to his injuries at the Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital after attending Disco Matanga.
Elvis was attacked on the night of Saturday, February 4th, while out on a night vigil locally referred to as Disco Matang by unknown assailants and suffered fatal stab wounds under unclear circumstances. He was a student at Kowidi Secondary School in Rachuonyo North. he attended the vigil in the neighboring Nyakach Sub-county, Kisumu.
According to Kakolo Sainy village elder Ruth Atieno, the deceased sustained serious injuries on his forehead, thighs, and stomach. She said, “No one has revealed what transpired before the student was stabbed. What is clear is that the incident happened at a night vigil when mourners were at a disco matanga,”
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According to reports home by Good Samaritans who reported that they found him lying on the ground. Kadhoch West Location chief Charles Dete did confirm the incident. In addition, he said that Elvis was taken home while experiencing a lot of pain. “He had deep cuts and had to be rushed to hospital for first aid.”
“He could not be admitted to the private clinics because of the severity of his injuries. He further added that he had to be taken to the county teaching and referral hospital for specialized treatment. The Referral Hospital attributed his death to excessive bleeding. The case was reported at Othoro Police station, and police are said to have commenced investigations into the incident.
Disco Matanga is a night vigil and, in normal circumstances, involves a lot of song, dance, and partying in the deceased homestead to keep the family of the deceased company and fundraise for the funeral program. However, for many youngsters, it is an opportunity to overindulge, often risking their lives.
Kisumu county had earlier banned the practice, and anyone found hosting or attending such an event risked an arrest.