A body initially thought to be that of Yussuf Hussein Ahmed, the missing Member of County Assembly (MCA) for Dela Ward in Wajir County has been buried.
Ahmed’s family confirmed on Thursday that private pathologists found a negative match after two DNA tests.
The MCA, who was abducted on September 13, remains missing.
Police reported that the unidentified body, which was recovered from Lake Yahud, was buried due to its advanced decomposition, which had begun to cause a strong odor affecting patients and staff at the Wajir County Referral Hospital.
“The unknown body of a male African adult was decomposing, producing a foul smell that was disturbing patients and health workers,” police said.
The facility lacked the refrigeration needed to preserve the body longer.
On October 25, the county public health officer secured court orders allowing the burial, and on October 26, the body was interred at Samaad Muslim Cemetery in Wajir.
Meanwhile, the search for Ahmed continues amid growing calls for accountability in the investigation.
The High Court recently directed the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to provide protection for a key witness in the case and submit an updated investigation report by October 7.
Senior Superintendent of Police Justus Imaana informed the court that efforts to gather CCTV footage from the locations where Ahmed was last seen had been challenging, with some sources refusing access.
He revealed that while two CCTV clips had been obtained, additional footage requests from potential sources along the abduction route were still pending. Attempts to obtain data from Ahmed’s mobile network provider to trace his last contacts have also faced delays.
Yussuf’s legal team, led by Danstan Omari and Hosea Manwa from the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), criticized the police for slow progress, urging the court to compel investigators to secure more footage, particularly from government surveillance along major roads in Nairobi.
“This inquiry file has been gathering dust in their offices,” Omari argued, stating that delays in the investigation continue to leave Ahmed’s family in distress.
Omari requested that the court establish a clear timeline for the investigation, asserting that uncovering vehicle registration details from the surveillance footage could be a significant breakthrough.
The legal team also cautioned against the potential financial burden on taxpayers if the continued absence of the MCA triggers a by-election. “This prolonged absence could lead to a declared vacancy, forcing taxpayers to bear the cost of a by-election,” lawyer Shadrack Wambui added.
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