NAIROBI Kenya, May 4 — Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro has issued an ultimatum to the national government to remove containers preserving bodies of the Shakahola massacre victims.
Munga’ro vowed to have the containers towed out of the Malindi Sub-County Hospital, saying he will have them dumped at the Kenyatta National Hospital if government fails to act by Monday.
He issued the ultimatum on Friday while speaking in Dagamra, Magarini sub-county.
The Governor said the prolonged holding of bodies at the county-run hospital were delaying the implementation of his administration’s programs.
“I have a message to the government, especially Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki. At the Malindi Hospital I have two containers holding 429 Shakahola bodies but they just took away a few bodies only,” Manga’ro said.
“Monday if the government will not have removed the bodies, doctors in the hospital should tow the containers and dump them in Kenyatta National Hospital.”
Mung’aro said the county bears additional costs associated with the preservation of the dead. He also cited an “annoying foul smell” for people visiting the hospital.
“Those who have been visiting Malindi Sub-County Hospital must have realized there is a foul smell coming from the mobile mortuary. I have constructed nice wards in the hospital, but the foul smell comes from the containers preserving the Shakahola bodies,” he said.
“We want to construct an emergency and outpatient wing where the containers are. We have already floated the tender worth Sh150 million but we cannot go ahead with the construction because of the containers.”
The government commenced the release of the Shakahola cult victims on March 26, when it handed 34 identified bodies to respective families for burials.
Chief Government pathologist Johansen Oduor said the government had identified the relatives for psycho-social support before the bodies were released to them.
“The process includes logistics which we are carrying out this week, which is organizing for counselors who will counsel these people and also contact relatives who will come here to take the bodies of their loved ones,” Oduor said.
The victims were followers of a starvation cult led by televangelist Paul Mackenzie who remains in custody.
Mackenzie and his co-accused persons are facing several charges in Mombasa and Malindi courts for the deaths of the 429 members.
About The Author
