Autopsy shows cause of death in 14 of 33 bodies in Kericho mass grave
Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) forensic staff inspect the scene of a mass grave where 33 bodies were exhumed at a cemetery in Kericho, Western Kenya Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)
An autopsy conducted on bodies recovered from a mass grave at Makaburini Cemetery in Kericho County have revealed that four of the 25 children exhumed from the secret grave died from head injuries, while 10 were found to have died from premature birth.
After a day-long forensic exercise to unravel the mystery surrounding 33 bodies recovered from a mass grave at Makaburini Cemetery in Kericho County, investigators led by Dr Njoroge emerged with disturbing findings.
Dr Njoroge revealed that four children died from head injuries, while 10 were determined to have died from premature birth. In two cases, the cause of death could not be established.
“Prematurity as a cause of death, we found in 10, and then some sort of head injuries we found in 4,” said Njoroge.
Among the children, eight were identified as male and 10 as female, while the gender of the other seven remains undetermined due to the severe state of decomposition.
“They were in various stages of decomposition; only a few are fresh. Others were severely decomposed. In terms of age, some were infants,” he noted.
The first phase of the post-mortem examinations focused on the 25 children recovered, with autopsies on the remaining eight adult bodies scheduled for Friday, as investigations into the grim discovery gather pace.
A total of 33 bodies were recovered following the discovery of the mass graves at the county cemetery last Saturday.
A discovery in Kericho has sparked national outrage after authorities exhumed 33 bodies—most believed to be children—from a mass grave, despite a court order authorizing the burial of only 13.
The discrepancy has raised serious questions about procedural violations, possible criminal liability, and the specter of a wider cover-up involving public institutions.
Documents obtained by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) indicate that only 13 bodies had been legally cleared for burial.
These included eight adults, one child, three foetuses, and a set of stillborn twins, as confirmed in official correspondence from Nyamira County Referral Hospital to the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Nyamira.
However, the remaining 20 bodies—undocumented and unexplained—were buried without any court authorization, igniting concerns over how such a breach could occur without detection.
According to KHRC, the burial process appears to have been conducted without proper documentation, coordination, or oversight from county health authorities. This has cast a spotlight on the roles of hospital officials, cemetery management, and law enforcement agencies.
So far, neither hospital authorities nor police have provided a credible account for the additional bodies.