Police officers at Makaburini cemetery in Kericho that has been thrust into the national headlines after 14 bodies were buried in a mass grave, in this photo taken on March 24, 2026.
The discovery of 32 bodies, more than double the 14 initially reported at Kericho’s Makaburini cemetery has raised urgent questions about how those behind the secret burials circumvented statutory procedures, suggesting a system that was either unaware, misinformed or deliberately misled about what was buried.
The incident exposes lapse in the compulsory registration of deaths and the issuance of burial permits, echoing previous mass grave scandals in Shakahola (2023), Kware (2024) and Kwa Binzaro (2025) matters which are currently ongoing on courts.
Exhumation of the bodies of eight adults, 25 children and six body parts has laid bare gaps in official accounts and highlighted glaring coordination failures among government agencies, raising suspicions of either mismanagement or a deliberate cover-up.
Investigations show that multiple layers of government including county officials, police, public health officers and investigators were caught flat-footed taking, reacting only after the burial had taken place and days of public pressure, media attention for authorities to establish the true scale of the suspicious burial.
Investigations revealed that the bodies had been packed in gunny bags, transported from Nyamira to Kericho using a government vehicle and then buried without following due process.
The fact that initial official figures were so inaccurate also raises concerns about the credibility of early reports and whether there was an attempt to downplay the situation.
“The bodies were put together in gunny bags and buried in the mass grave,” government pathologist Dr Richard Njoroge confirmed. He added that the eight adult bodies exhumed were all male.
The 32 bodies that were exhumed from a mass grave in Makaburini in Kericho on March 24, 2026 by homicide detectives.
“Some bodies appeared fresh while others were in various stages of decomposition suggesting they came from different sources, including morgues. The times of death also appear to differ,” Dr Njoroge said.
Authorities are now assessing logistical issues at the Kericho mortuary before embarking on autopsies to reveal how or what killed the 32 victims before the burials.
With the resources at its disposal, the various government agencies - the National Police Service (NPS), the National Government Coordination (administration) and the National Intelligence Services (NIS) were caught unawares by the burial and took the grave diggers an effort to voluntarily alert the police a day later.
The scandal emerged after the police initially reported 14 bodies while Nyamira County government claimed it had released 13 unclaimed bodies for burial in Kericho.
The public outcry prompted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Homicide Department to obtain court orders for exhumation, which were granted on Monday.
The exhumation, initially a routine exercise with police guarding the site, revealed the true scale of the mass grave, including six dismembered body parts.
Legal experts note that the process of disposing of unclaimed bodies is clearly defined under the law. Public Health authorities must issue a notice of intent to bury, and a court order is required to conduct the burial in a designated area.
The 32 bodies that were exhumed from a mass grave in Makaburini in Kericho on March 24, 2026 by homicide detectives.
“Nothing bars a county from moving bodies to another county as long as it’s within the law. However, the process of disposing of unclaimed bodies are very clear. The Public Health must raise a public notice of the intention to bury the bodies should no one come forward within 14 - 21 days,” Kericho-based lawyer Victor Tum explained to the Nation yesterday.
However, the current court case raises questions about the authenticity of the public notice and the court orders which reportedly contained contradictory directives.
Two people, a Nyamira public health officer David Araka Makori and cemetery caretaker Richard Towett (alias Ezekiel) have been arrested and detained for 30 days to allow investigators to complete their probe.
Preliminary DCI documents show the bodies were interred on March 20, 2026, with Nyamira officials admitting to moving 13 of them. The burials appear to have been conducted without permits, in violation of the Births and Deaths Registration Act (Cap.149), which mandates registration of deaths and prohibits burial without government authorisation.
"Every person notifying a death shall give the prescribed particulars, which shall be entered forthwith by the registrar in the register," it states.
DCI Homicide detectives at Makaburini cemetery in Kericho Town on March 22, 2026 where 14 bodies were buried in a mass grave.
It further states "In the case of the death occurring in Kenya of any person who has been attended during his last illness by a medical practitioner, that practitioner shall sign a certificate stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death"
The law further states that no burial can be conducted without a permit from the government.
"No person shall bury, cremate or otherwise dispose of the body of any deceased person the registration of whose death is compulsory, without a permit".
According to lawyer Tum: “The investigators need to explain where the bodies came from, the circumstances of death and why the number of bodies increased from 13 to 32. What were those involved trying to hide?” said Mr Tum.
Yesterday, DCI Homicide Director Martin Nyuguto confirmed investigations are ongoing.
“There are processes to follow to avoid prejudicing investigations. Further information will be provided later,” he said.
Human rights activist David Ruto questioned the role of government security agencies.
“What is the role of the security apparatus if a crime of this magnitude can be carried out with such audacity? Were they simply lax, or complicit?” he asked.
The Makaburini cemetery in Kericho, in this photo taken on March 24, 2026, overlooking Nyagacho estate (in the horizon), where 14 bodies were buried in a mass grave without legal documentation.
Voices for Justice, a Kericho-based community organisation also demanded clarity, especially since most of the victims were children.
“This points to a possible case of a cult or organised criminal activity. Detectives must investigate with the seriousness it deserves,” said Lyne Chepkirui. Brenda Chepkoech added: “Where are all these children from? Are there hospital records, or reports of missing children in Nyamira and neighbouring counties?”
Investigators are working to determine whether all bodies originated from Nyamira County Referral Hospital or other facilities, with pathologists noting that some appeared fresh. The two suspects are being interrogated, and more arrests are expected.
Officials revealed that the bodies were transported early in the morning using a vehicle with GK number plates to avoid attention on highways with minimal traffic.
The exhumations have put the Kericho County Referral Hospital mortuary under severe strain.
“The morgue has a capacity of 16 bodies but is now holding 49 bodies and six body parts. We had to make space for the 32 newly exhumed bodies. We hope families will collect their relatives quickly to avoid further decomposition,” a senior health official said.
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