Collect your Corpses Senator Tells Government!

By Mwakwaya Raymond

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

The Shakahola massacre has remained a mystery since being unraveled and the bodies for DNA tests at the Malindi mortuary is yet another riddle awaiting answers.

Based on preliminary findings of the DNA tests, many families of the deceased and positively identified are again yet to collect the remains of their loved ones.

Some members of the families have expressed concern over the bodies that are not easy to identify because of their decomposition degrees beneath the graves.

The first round of exhumation came into conclusion sometimes in November, 2023 to pave way for officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation to conduct the DNA tests. 

Since then, the bodies have been lying at Malindi mortuary under the authority of the DCI officer.

Early this month (February) the DNA exercise also came to a conclusion and members of the families were allowed to collect bodies of their relatives.

Since then, it has been confirmed that very few bodies were claimed leaving a large number of them continue lying at the Malindi mortuary uncollected.

The bodies are said to have occupied a large space of the mortuary rendering it impossible to receive more bodies.

This is not pleasing the Kilifi county Senator Stewart Madzayo who now wants the government to look for alternative means of preserving them as they await collection by respective relatives.

In his address at the County Assembly on Thursday, February 22, 2024, Madzayo said the bodies have overstayed and are causing some inconveniences in service delivery.

“We cannot continue keeping these bodies here when there’s no one to claim them. The government should look for an alternate and collect them immediately.”

According to him the capacity of the mortuary is currently overstretched as it cannot withstand the number of bodies lying there.

Most of the bodies were retrieved from shallow graves at Shakahola forest where the cult preacher Mackenzie has been conducting his activities for years.

Mackenzie and 94 others have been charged with 191 counts of murder before Malindi High Court

They have also been charged with 283 counts of manslaughter before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku

Some 39 Shakahola massacre suspects are charged with several counts of cruelty to children and torture as well as infringing children rights to education.

Mackenzie and his 94 co- accused are also charged with five terror related charges before Shanzu law courts