Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen chairs a security meeting ahead of the 40th Jukwaa la Usalama meeting in Homa Bay, September 16, 2025. /MINAInterior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has linked cultural practices such as disco matanga to the high prevalence of defilement and teenage pregnancies in Homa Bay County and across parts of Nyanza.
Speaking on Tuesday ahead of the Jukwaa la Usalama townhall meeting in Homa Bay, Murkomen said despite the county government putting in place a Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) policy, cases of defilement remain alarmingly high.
“The prevalence of defilement cases here is also promoted by repugnant cultural practices, including disco matanga, which has been banned. Many of the children that are defiled are affected during the holidays,” he said.
A disco matanga is a nighttime vigil held at the home of a deceased person, where relatives and neighbours gather to mourn and celebrate the departed.
While intended as a cultural expression of solidarity, the events often become all-night dance parties, creating opportunities for adults to prey on unsupervised minors.
In 2018, former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i outlawed disco matanga, citing its role in fuelling early pregnancies, school dropouts, and crime upsurge.
However, the practice has persisted in parts of Western Kenya and Nyanza.
Murkomen warned against communities covering up defilement cases through out-of-court settlements, especially when perpetrators are relatives or individuals in positions of trust.
“These are high crimes; we do not want communities to hide perpetrators," he said.
Some of the reasons communities hide the perpetrators, he said, is because they are relatives and people who have fiduciary responsibilities to protect the young people—teachers, religious leaders, or family members.
Murkomen said his ministry will work closely with chiefs and their assistants to enforce the ban on disco matanga and dismantle community networks that shield offenders.
"We want to make sure that the entire society is supporting law enforcement agencies in dealing with cases of defilement and Gender-Based Violence, which is affecting many parts of our country,” he said.
The CS was accompanied for the 40th Jukwaa la Usalama county visit by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, Immigration PS Belio Kipsang, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, and senior security officials led by Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police Gilbert Masengeli.
After a security meeting, Murkomen and his team inspected ID and civil registration exercises at the Governor’s Park as part of the activities to mark the International Identity Day.
Thereafter, they will hold a town hall meeting at the County Commissioner’s residence.
