Shakahola massacre: 443 bodies face disposal as Kilifi gives families 21-day deadline

Families and relatives of victims of the Shakahola massacre have been given 21 days to claim their loved ones' remains from Malindi Sub-County Hospital. This directive was announced during a Senate Health and County Public Investments Committee meeting and a visit to the facility by the Senate Mashinani inspection team. Kilifi County Executive Committee Member for Health Services, Peter Mwarogo, revealed that 443 bodies and body parts recovered from the Shakahola tragedy are being preserved in a container at the hospital.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has completed the identification process, with 14 bodies already identified and their families notified. Mwarogo cautioned that unclaimed remains will be disposed of through a court-approved process. The county government plans to seek a court order to allow unclaimed remains to be interred in a designated area near the tragedy site.

The remains consist of both complete bodies and fragmented parts, adding complexity to the identification and repatriation process. Hospital officials estimate completion of the remains repatriation process by December, after which the container used for preservation will be repurposed. The permanent morgue at the facility can only accommodate 25 bodies.

Meanwhile, controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and other suspects connected to the Shakahola starvation cult remain in police custody, awaiting trial.