A funeral in Athiani Village, Makueni County, was disrupted after mourners reportedly clashed with a priest over the time allocated for condolences.

According to a video circulating online seen by TNX Africa, tensions arose as mourners pushed for more time to allow relatives, friends and other attendees to pay their respects to the deceased.

The master of ceremonies (MC) is heard asking the priest to sit down and allow friends of the deceased more time to condole with the family, a request the priest appeared to oppose.

The MC insisted that he was acting in the interest of the bereaved family and questioned the priest’s intervention in the proceedings.

A funeral ceremony reportedly took a dramatic turn after the MC and mourners chased away the priest and took control of the service themselves.
For the longest time, the Church has been “gatekeeping” funerals. pic.twitter.com/x2TbWFrOHJ

— Omwamba ?? (@omwambaKE) August 31, 2026

The MC then handed the microphone to a man identified as a friend of the deceased and invited him to speak, while the priest appeared to ask to be allowed to deliver his message first.

The request was resisted, prompting the priest to say he could leave. The MC and the deceased’s friend then appeared to tell him to go ahead.

The priest was subsequently seen walking towards a tent, where he removed his vestments before leaving the ceremony.

With the priest gone, the MC and relatives reportedly took charge of the proceedings and continued with the funeral service before the burial went ahead.

The incident has since sparked mixed reactions online, with some users supporting the family’s decision to insist on more time to mourn and bid farewell to their loved one.

Others, however, defended the clergy, arguing that priests often have demanding schedules and may be expected to preside over several ceremonies in a single day.

The incident has reignited debate over the role of clergy at funerals and the delicate balance between adhering to church programmes and allowing grieving families adequate time to mourn and honour their loved ones.