Nyamira governor distances county from 20 of 33 bodies exhumed in Kericho

The mystery surrounding the discovery of 33 bodies buried under unclear circumstances in Kericho County has deepened after Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo distanced his administration from 20 of the bodies.
Governor Nyaribo said Nyamira County only sanctioned the disposal of 13 bodies in Kericho and released Ksh32,000 to facilitate the process, which he said had been routinely followed over the years.

“They were 13 bodies which were supposed to be disposed from Nyamira and we followed the procedure… we have been disposing in Kericho for years,” Nyaribo said.

However, the governor alleged the officials assigned to the task failed to remit the money to Kericho County, instead allegedly colluding with an officer in Kericho to divert the bodies to a private facility, where they were buried.

“We gave money to be paid to Kericho County but unfortunately, whoever was given money did not pay to the county… instead he had an arrangement with a private morgue where they went and disposed the bodies,” he said.

Even as the revelations emerge, questions remain over how the number of bodies rose from 13 to 33. Nyaribo insisted that Nyamira County only authorised the disposal of 13 bodies and said his administration had no knowledge of the additional 20.

“As Nyamira we are not aware of 33 bodies… those people who are involved should tell us where these other bodies boarded the vehicle and where did they come from,” he said.

The governor called for a comprehensive investigation, saying those responsible should be held accountable, as police intensify efforts to establish how the extra bodies were transported and buried, reportedly at night.