Bondo man protests ‘githeri’ meal, pastor’s ‘VIP treatment’ at funeral, runs off with offertory

Mourners at a funeral in Bondo, Siaya County, had some comic relief after a man staged a ‘demo’, and protested against the food served and ‘VIP treatment’ accorded to the presiding pastor by taking off with offertory.

The drama ensued when the tipsy man, who is kin to the deceased, began fussing about the githeri that had been served, wondering aloud why the man of God and his entourage were served chicken and other choice delicacies, and were to be given the offertory, too.

He became more rowdy and sneaked his way to the front and demanded a share of the money that had been collected after the service.

According to one of the mourners who witnessed the drama, the offertory during the public viewing is always given to the presiding pastor.

That the man of God, despite having been heavily fed, was also taking home all the money mourners had given as sadaka annoyed him.

“According to this church, the offertory is always given to the priest as payment for blessing the deceased, consoling and encouraging the bereaved and generally offering spiritual nourishment to mourners,” the source told Crazy Monday.  

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After the incident the priest was so furious that he supposedly cursed the man, wishing him bad lack. This was minutes before the man resurfaced, high as a kite, to begin taunting and hurling insults at the pastor as bewildered mourners watched in awe.

Drinking buddies

Reports from the drinking den where the man had gone to enjoy himself further revealed his frustrations. According to a source privy to what transpired at the watering hole, the man had been overheard telling his drinking buddies and other patrons who cared to listen how he planned to disrupt the service.

He had vowed to teach the pastor a lesson by taking away the day’s offertory.

The source said, “He even drank alcohol worth Sh50 with a promise to pay once the deal went through.”

“Onge!onge!onge! Ere kaka padri nyalo chamo gweno, ring’o kod mkate mowich to wan to wamwodo nyoyo to aye timiye sadaka. Oktimre dalawa kae (No way! No way! No way! How can a pastor eat chicken, meat and buttered bread then he still receives offertory while we eat githeri. That will not happen in our home),” shouted the man.

Scandalized lot

Upon returning, the man, not satisfied with interrupting the proceedings and running off with the pastor’s toil, approached him and grabbed him by the collar for invoking evil and misfortune upon him.

Mourners who tried to pull him a way found themselves in the crosshairs, with the man asking them to mind their own business.

“Nitie rach mane ka wakao sadaka?In lit mane maintiere go? (What mistake have I committed by taking the offertory? Are you the bereaved?),” the man shouted at the pastor.

Kin of the deceased who rescued the man of God from the wrath of the tipsy man were disgraced and had to apologise on behalf of the family and promised to pay the pastor.

“This is very embarrassing and we are saying sorry to the church and all those who came to help us bury our brother,” apologized a relative. The incident has left the family members a scandalized lot.