Nakuru County On Spot For Exhuming Dead Bodies to Create Space

The Nakuru County government has come under scrutiny for exhuming bodies from the Nakuru South Cemetery. The county is allegedly exhuming the bodies to create more space for new burials.

A spot check by local media at the cemetery on Thursday, 29 November, revealed hollow graves, scattered skeletons, and decomposed human remains lying around the site.

Residents living near the cemetery occasionally stumble upon human skulls as they walk in the area. According to the residents, the Nakuru County government began exhuming the bodies on the night of Monday, 25 November, in a bid to create space for families to bury their loved ones.

“We have been stumbling on skulls belonging to both children and adults. They have been exhuming the bodies, and that is not fair to the ,” one resident revealed.

Residents revealed that the Nakuru South Cemetery is full, prompting the county government to exhume bodies to create space.

“This is an old cemetery. They now want to reuse it, and that’s why they are exhuming the bodies,” another resident revealed.

In a video circulating on social media on Monday, human skulls were seen stashed in several sacks.

According to residents, the standard rule of a 6-foot burial is no longer being applied at the cemetery. They allege that graves are being dug to depths of only 2 or 4 feet.

The residents argue that, according to African culture, it is disrespectful to exhume the deceased. 

However, the county government has denied involvement in the exercise. Nakuru County Health Services CEC Roselyn Mungai refuted the claims, stating that the county has not authorized any exhumations.

“The county government of Nakuru has not authorized nor conducted any exhumation at the South Cemetery,” Mungai clarified.

The county has argued that it ensures regular maintenance of Nakuru South cemetery to uphold its dignity and facilitate family visits.

“No graves or remains have been tampered with during these processes,” the county continued.

The law on the exhumation of bodies or remains of bodies under the Public Health Act(Cap 242) section 146 provides that it is unlawful to exhume anybody or remains of any body interred in any authorized cemetery or burial ground without a permit.