The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) Coast Regional Coordinator Bonaventure Kioko wants the authorities to ban night vigil festivities popularly known as ‘disco matanga’ in the region to curb immorality.
He said ‘disco matanga’ was a bad cultural practice among the coastal communities and blamed the phenomena on the growing cases of sexual abuse of minors, teenage pregnancies and school dropouts.
He said ‘disco matangas’ are overnight vigils where mnazi (local brew made from coconut) is drunk, loud music is played and dancing goes on as other social vices such as promiscuity find fertile ground.
“During these occasions many cases of sexual abuse have been reported including defilement and rape especially during school holidays” he said.
The film official has called on the society to discard obsolete cultural practices since every society is dynamic and ought to undergo changes.
Kioko wants the ban enforced citing negative effects of night festivities to the poor academic performance of school children and early pregnancies.
He criticized the existence of ‘disco Matanga’ in the communities terming it as the main contributor of early pregnancies and marriages in the region.
He urged security agents to crack the whip and arrest those engaged in the business of ‘disco matangas’.
Speaking in Mombasa the KFCB official said the vigils often held to raise funds for funerals and celebrate the life of the deceased should be discarded to safeguard the future generation.
“We do not want to hear ‘disco Matanga’ any more, we are fed up of this menace that ruins the lives of young people,” he said.
Kioko said many young people have taken advantage of the ‘disco matangas’ to indulge in alcoholism and drug use.
He said that ‘disco matangas’ had brought more harm than benefit to residents of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi and Tana River counties.
