Kindiki Allows Media Into Shakahola Mass Grave Site
Kindiki thereafter allowed members of the Fourth Estate to access the mass grave site but only two journalists would be allowed access on a daily basis.
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Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Tuesday, May 9 allowed the media access to the Shakahola mass grave site in Kilifi County.
Kindiki arrived at Malindi, Kilifi County to oversee the commencement of the second phase of the exhumation of bodies at the Shakahola forest, an exercise which was called off due to bad weather.
Post-mortem examinations on 112 bodies exhumed or recovered from Shakahola, according to the CS, were concluded, with search and rescue efforts for persons suspected to be holed up in the thickets and bushes ongoing.
Earlier chief Inspector Martin Munene said some victims were found with missing body organs, as court documents indicated that the organs were harvested before they were buried.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki arriving in Malindi, Kilifi County on May 9, 2023. /KITHURE KINDIKI
"I'm afraid we have many more graves, this was a highly organized crime.
"The damage is quite significant, 20 mass graves are currently being opened. The process is far from over," Kindiki updated.
Kindiki thereafter allowed members of the Fourth Estate to access the mass grave site but only two journalists would be allowed access on a daily basis.
"We have decided, effective today, to increase the number of media people getting daily access to 2 so that you can have alternative media houses," he announced.
"They don't have to be the same media houses, you'll agree amongst yourselves and update the team leader so that every time there are at least two representatives of the media spending the whole day with the teams there under the direct supervision of the Director of the Homicide Unit."
He added that members of the Red Cross team would be permanently present on the site, with politicians barred from accessing the site.
"With regards to human rights organizations, the government has also decided to allow, every day, a representative of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and another one representative of human rights non-governmental organizations," he added.
On limiting access, Kindiki noted that the process of exhumation of dead bodies is a legal, medical and human rights process, unlike any other activity and that the bodies being exhumed have family connections and whose privacy should be safeguarded.
“If they want to do politics there are other places where they can hold their rallies and speak their politics. We have instructed officers here led by Coast Regional Coordinator Rhoda Onyancha not to give access to anyone unless they have a role to demonstrate.”
"The entire Chakama ranch is an active security operation area. It is also a scene of crime. For that reason, we limited the movement of unauthorised persons. Any movements, assemblies or meeting between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am will be treated as an act of crime," he reiterated.
On the matter of blocking political leaders, including Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga, from entering the mass graves, Kindiki on Sunday, May 7 revealed that the only political leaders allowed to the site are members of the parliamentary security committee.
As a result, Kindiki threatened to take action against politicians attempting to replicate Raila's attempts, no matter whether they are on the pro-government side or the opposition side.
