Fresh details have emerged after investigators uncovered a suspected mass grave at Makaburini Cemetery in Kericho County, raising serious concerns about how dozens of people ended up buried there without clear records.
A multi-agency team exhumed 33 bodies from the site, far higher than earlier reports that suggested only 14 bodies had been buried.
Government pathologist Dr Richard Njoroge confirmed that 25 of the bodies are children while eight are adults, deepening the shock around the discovery.
The operation followed a court order obtained by homicide detectives after the grave was identified. The exercise was led by Martin Nyuguto and involved officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
The cemetery was treated as a crime scene as officers carried out the exhumation under heavy rain, wrapping up the work in the evening.
With the exhumation complete, authorities are now preparing for post-mortem examinations to determine the cause of death.
The process is expected to begin under the guidance of the Chief Government Pathologist’s office.
Human rights groups and activists who witnessed the exercise have called for transparency. Hussein Khalid urged authorities to establish who the victims are, how they died, and why they were buried at the site.
Tony Were also asked the government to act quickly and handle such cases professionally.
Pressure is mounting for independent oversight, with calls for investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
Local leaders, including Allan Kiombe, have demanded clear answers on who authorized the burials and why there was no public communication.
Initial reports linked some of the bodies to a court order allowing Nyamira Teaching and Referral Hospital to dispose of 13 unclaimed bodies. However, the discovery of 33 bodies has left a gap of 20 unexplained cases.
Two suspects, David Araka Makori and Richard Towet, are in police custody. A court has allowed detectives to detain them for 30 days as investigations continue.
