Who Were the Victims? Mystery Surrounds Kericho Mass Grave Discovery
Dozens of bodies have been exhumed from Makaburini cemetery in Kericho, where detectives uncovered 33 corpses and six dismembered body parts under unclear circumstances.
Government pathologist Dr Richard Njoroge confirmed that autopsies have been carried out on 25 children, with examinations continuing on the remaining remains. His findings show that some bodies were recently buried while others were in advanced stages of decomposition.
Among the children, nine were premature and ten were full-term, with several showing head injuries. In two cases, the cause of death could not be established. No families have come forward to claim the bodies, and police in Kericho and Nyamira counties report no missing persons linked to the discovery.
Senator Joyce Korir has urged investigators to follow up on claims by grave diggers that more burials took place at the site in recent months. Legal experts have warned that the irregular disposal of bodies without documentation may point to criminal activity.
Advocate Bernhard Kipkoech Ngetich noted that the presence of mismatched body parts raises serious concerns, suggesting investigators must consider possibilities such as extrajudicial killings, human trafficking, or organ harvesting. Two Nyamira County officials, including a public health officer, have been arrested in connection with the case.
They are accused of overseeing the transfer of bodies from Nyamira to Kericho using a government vehicle. Court records show that the burials occurred on 20 March 2026 without the required permits. Nyamira officials admitted that 13 bodies had been moved, but the number recovered in Kericho was significantly higher, raising suspicions of concealment.
The cemetery, owned by the National Council of Churches of Kenya, has denied involvement. However, syringes and other medical waste found at the site have added to public concern. Access to the mortuary where autopsies are being conducted remains restricted, with the Director of Homicide at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations supervising the process.
