MASSACRE OR COINCIDENCE? City Mortuary Reports a Whooping 247 Unidentified Bodies Between June 25-July 26
The Nairobi Funeral Home (formerly City Mortuary) received a staggering 247 bodies in a month during the height of the youth anti-tax demonstrations, according to a facility report.
The latest development raises new concerns about the exact number of people who died during the month-long demonstration, as exact figures are still unknown.
According to data recorded between June 25 and July 26 and based on a police register, the morgue had 115 bodies listed as ‘unknown’.
Sixty of these remain unidentified or unclaimed in the mortuary, with relatives or next of kin unaware of their presence.
The remaining 55 bodies were listed as unknown but were later identified by relatives or next of kin, according to the report.
On the other hand, 102 bodies were admitted with full names, and relatives or next of kin were informed about them.
The remainder were body parts admitted in connection with the Kware incident, 17 of which remain unidentified and await DNA testing.
According to data compiled by government pathologist Dr Sylvester Maingi, 13 fetuses or perinatal corpses have been admitted as unidentified.
The alarming figures coincide with a period when the youth, particularly Gen Z, took to the streets to protest tax increases proposed by President William Ruto’s administration.
@HakiKNCHR 's Statement on Mukuru Murders and Updates on the Anti-Finance Bill Protests.
— KNCHR (@HakiKNCHR) July 16, 2024
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According to a report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), at least 60 people were killed during the demonstrations that began in mid-June.
According to the commission’s report, another 66 people remain missing, bringing the total number of arrests to 1,376.
According to the report, protests occurred in at least 23 counties, with 17 counties reporting casualties, including Nairobi, which had at least 21 deaths.
According to KNCHR and the Defenders’ Coalition, at least 29 people died in connection with the protests in other counties, raising concerns about the number of bodies received at Nairobi Funeral Home (Formerly City Mortuary).
Nakuru (3); Laikipia (2); Narok (1); Kajiado (3); Uasin Gishu (4); Kakamega (2); Kisumu (3); Kisii (1); Mombasa (3); Siaya (1); Kiambu (1); Nandi (1); Embu (1); Homa Bay (1); Nyeri (1); and Bungoma (1).
Interestingly, Dr. Maingi stated that all protest-related deaths were promptly identified, autopsies were performed, mortuary bills were waived, and bodies were released to relatives or next of kin for burial.
“From the distribution of police stations of origin, I believe that the remaining unclaimed/unidentified bodies admitted during this period were NOT related to protests,” Dr Maingi said.
“Therefore, yesterday’s media reports were malicious and not based on evidence,” he added.
The pathologist responded to a media report after human rights organizations claimed that the unknown bodies.
“Some of the bodies have gunshot wounds. We are asking those whose relatives are missing to also check at City Mortuary,” said Hussein Khalid, lawyer and executive director of VOCAL Africa.
According to an interview with the City Mortuary’s director, Dr David Wanjohi, conducted in September 2021, the City Mortuary receives approximately seven bodies per day.
Mr Wanjohi stated that the mortuary always receives bodies, whether they are from private, police, or accident cases, and that in August of this year, the mortuary received the fewest number of bodies, 60.
The number of bodies in the mortuary will now focus attention on the government, at a time when the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has complained about a lack of cooperation from the police in its efforts to investigate human rights violations by security officers.
The IPOA has been calling for a prompt investigation and prosecution of all individuals, including police officers, found guilty of human rights violations while policing the demonstrations.
The police have been accused of refusing to provide deployment plans, arms registers, and records of use, as well as ignoring summons.
In an interview with a local media outlet, Commissioner Joseph Waiganjo stated that they were considering seeking arrest warrants against some senior commanders and officers who were allegedly preventing them from accessing key documents.
Mr Waiganjo claimed that some public hospitals were refusing to provide medical records for injuries allegedly sustained during the protests, further frustrating the commission.
“It is not just the lack of cooperation from the police high command, but also from some government institutions,” Mr Waiganjo said.
“We have visited some major public hospitals trying to get medical records of those involved in the demonstrations and those whose injuries we believe are related to gunshot wounds, and the institutions are not giving us the cooperation we need.”
The commissioner alleged that there may be a special unit set up by the government to deal with the riots, which is shielded from accountability.
“As an authority, we suspect that there is a special unit being sent out there to commit atrocities, apart from the usual operations,” he said.
MASSACRE OR COINCIDENCE? City Mortuary Reports a Whooping 247 Unidentified Bodies Between June 25-July 26
