Nairobi’s City Mortuary Flooded: 247 Bodies in a Month Amid Youth Anti-Tax Protests Raises Questions
Nairobi Funeral Home, previously known as City Mortuary, documented an astonishing 247 bodies in just one month during the peak of the youth-led anti-tax protests, as reported by the facility.
This new data raises serious questions about the actual number of fatalities during the month-long protests, as precise figures are still not available.
The report, covering the period from June 25 to July 26 and based on police records, indicates that 115 of the bodies were listed as ‘unknown.’
Among these, 60 bodies remain in the morgue, still unidentified or unclaimed, with no known relatives aware of their presence.
The remaining 55 bodies, initially registered as unknown, were later identified by their relatives or next of kin.
In contrast, 102 bodies were admitted with full identification details, and their relatives or next of kin were aware of them.
Additionally, there were body parts linked to the Kware incident, 17 of which are still unidentified and awaiting DNA analysis.
The data also includes 13 fetuses or perinatal corpses admitted as unidentified, according to government pathologist Dr. Sylvester Maingi.
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These troubling statistics coincide with the period when young people, particularly Gen Z, protested against proposed tax increases by President William Ruto’s administration.
The protests, which started in mid-June, led to at least 60 deaths according to a report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
The KNCHR report also noted that 66 people remained missing, bringing the total number of arrests during the protests to 1,376.
Protests occurred in at least 23 counties, with 17 counties reporting casualties, and Nairobi suffering the most with at least 21 deaths.
The KNCHR and the Defenders’ Coalition reported at least 29 protest-related deaths in other counties, raising concerns about the number of bodies at Nairobi’s mortuary.
The counties affected included Nakuru (3), Laikipia (2), Narok (1), Kajiado (3), Uasin Gishu (4), Kakamega (2), Kisumu (3), Kisii (1), Mombasa (3), Siaya (1), Kiambu (1), Nandi (1), Embu (1), Homa Bay (1), Nyeri (1), and Bungoma (1).
Dr. Maingi emphasized that all protest-related deaths were identified, autopsies were conducted, mortuary fees were waived, and bodies were released to their families.
He criticized recent media reports as misleading, asserting that the remaining unclaimed and unidentified bodies were not linked to the protests.
Dr. Maingi’s comments came in response to allegations by human rights organizations that some of the unknown bodies at the mortuary, excluding those from Kware, had gunshot wounds.
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Hussein Khalid, a lawyer and executive director of VOCAL Africa, urged people to check the City Mortuary if their relatives are missing, citing the presence of gunshot wounds on some bodies.
City Mortuary, on average, handles about seven bodies a day, according to Dr. David Wanjohi, the director, who noted that August recorded the lowest number of bodies at 60.
The current number of bodies at the mortuary could intensify scrutiny on the government, especially as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) has reported difficulties in investigating alleged human rights abuses by security forces.
IPOA has been calling for prompt investigation and prosecution of those responsible for human rights violations during the protests but has faced resistance from the police in providing necessary documents and records.
Commissioner Joseph Waiganjo mentioned the possibility of seeking arrest warrants against senior officers obstructing access to crucial documents and public hospitals withholding medical records related to protest injuries.
Mr. Waiganjo expressed frustration over the lack of cooperation from both the police and some government institutions, suggesting there may be a special unit operating beyond regular oversight.
Nairobi’s City Mortuary Flooded: 247 Bodies in a Month Amid Youth Anti-Tax Protests Raises Questions
