Nyamira governor disowns 20 of 33 bodies exhumed in Kericho

The saga surrounding the discovery of 33 bodies buried under unclear circumstances in a mass grave in Kericho County deepened after Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo distanced his administration from 20 of the bodies.

Nyaribo said Nyamira County only sanctioned the disposal of 13 bodies in Kericho and released Sh32,000 to facilitate the process, which he said had been routinely followed over the years.

“They were 13 bodies that were supposed to be disposed from Nyamira, and we followed the procedure… we have been disposing in Kericho for years,” Nyaribo said.

However, the governor alleged the officials assigned to the task failed to remit the money to Kericho County, instead allegedly colluding with an officer in Kericho to divert the bodies to a private facility, where they were buried.

“We gave money to be paid to Kericho County but unfortunately, whoever was given money did not pay to the county… instead he had an arrangement with a private morgue where they went and disposed the bodies,” he said.

Questions now remain over how the number of bodies rose from 13 to 33.

The bodies were buried in a mass grave where they were exhumed and subjected to autopsies.

Nyaribo insisted that Nyamira County only authorised the disposal of 13 bodies and said his administration had no knowledge of the additional 20.

“As Nyamira we are not aware of 33 bodies… those people who are involved should tell us where these other bodies boarded the vehicle and where did they come from,” he said.

The governor called for a comprehensive investigation, saying those responsible should be held accountable, as police intensify efforts to establish how the extra bodies were transported and buried, reportedly at night.

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed preliminary findings pointing to possible collusion between Nyamira County health officials and the caretaker of Makaburini Public Cemetery in Kericho County in the ongoing mass grave investigations.

Murkomen termed the incident “unacceptable,” noting that those implicated have already been arrested as investigations continue.

According to the CS, authorities established that the number of bodies interred exceeded what had been authorised by a court order, raising serious legal and ethical concerns.

“What happened is unacceptable. There was a court order specifying the number of bodies to be disposed of. It was not supposed to happen in darkness,” he said.

Murkomen added that those responsible would face the full force of the law once investigations are complete, promising a comprehensive report detailing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He also commended whistleblowers who brought the matter to light, saying their actions were crucial in uncovering the irregularities.

At the same time, the CS urged Kenyans to strictly adhere to legal procedures when handling the disposal of bodies, emphasising the need to involve security agencies to ensure compliance with the law.

So far six suspects have been arrested over the discovery and are under probe. They include senior officials at the Nyamira hospital.

Autopsies on some of the bodies showed the victims died out of trauma to their heads.