Naivasha Level IV Hospital has disposed of 27 unclaimed bodies in a mass grave at Longonot public cemetery, sparking political controversy amid allegations that some of the deceased were youths who went missing during the Gen-Z protests.
The hushed burial took place in the early hours of Tuesday under the supervision of public health officials, following the hospital’s legal procedure for handling unclaimed bodies. However, some leaders, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, questioned the timing and secrecy surrounding the disposal, alleging that some victims of recent anti-government demonstrations were among the deceased.
Hospital Defends Disposal Process
Hospital superintendent Dr. Bernard Warui dismissed the allegations, stating that mass burials of unclaimed bodies are routine and occur every quarter. He explained that the hospital followed due process, working in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Public Health Department before proceeding with the burial.
According to Warui, most of the bodies were either victims of road accidents or had died in hospitals, some having been at the facility for over a year. He criticized the political uproar, emphasizing that the hospital had issued a 21-day public notice for families to claim the bodies before their disposal.
Despite this, Gachagua and other leaders have questioned why families of missing Gen-Z protesters were not given the opportunity to verify the identities of the deceased before the mass burial.
The public health department maintains that the burial adhered to the Public Health Act, which mandates the disposal of unclaimed bodies after 21 days due to health and sanitation concerns. However, the controversy surrounding the case continues, with calls for an independent investigation into the identities of the buried individuals.
