Kindiki Provides Clarification on Shakahola Search Suspension
Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki shed light on the search and rescue of survivors in the Shakahola forest following the alleged mass murder by Paul Mackenzie.
Kindiki stated in a statement that the suspension of exhumations in the Shakahola forest lasted only five days.
“It is clarified for the public’s information that: Only the search for graves and exhumation of the victims of the Shakahola Massacre has been suspended to allow for logistical arrangements for the postmortem examination of the additional 123 bodies recovered in Phase 2 of the exhumation exercise,” read a portion of the statement.
He confirmed that the search for and rescue of survivors will proceed without interruption.
“The search for and rescue of survivors within Shakahola Forest and The Chakama Ranch will continue unabated and will be expanded into the adjacent Tsavo East National Park using ground and drone search in the coming days,” he added.
After the conclusion of the second phase of postmortems. The search for graves and exhumation of bodies will continue, according to the CS.
“Phase 2 postmortems will begin at the Malindi Sub-County Hospital on May 24, 2023.
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“Grave searching and exhumation will resume upon completion of the Phase 2 postmortem,” he disclosed.
Survivors and Death Toll
On May 19, four additional survivors were rescued deep within the Shakahola forest. This increased the number of survivors to 93.
Simultaneously, the number of bodies exhumed reached 235.
On May 18, the forensics team announced that exhumations would cease so that 123 exhumed bodies could undergo postmortem examinations.
The CS issued a press release on April 26 declaring the Shakahola region an active security zone and imposing a nighttime curfew.
The Shakahola tragedy was discovered in April 2023, when shallow graves were discovered in the Shakahola forest, where the controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and hundreds of his followers had resided.
While investigations continue, Mackenzie is currently in police custody. Additionally imprisoned are thirty other church leaders.
Kindiki Provides Clarification on Shakahola Search Suspension
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