Families of those whose bodies were exhumed from the Shakahola forest are now demanding the release of the DNA profiles of the bodies to facilitate the handing over and subsequent burial of their loved ones.
The victim's families have accused the government of silence on the profiling status, leaving them at a crossroads as to whether to abandon the bodies or carry out burial preparations to have a closure.
Agnes Kombe and her granddaughter consider their options at the Mtangani estate in Malindi, Kilifi County.
Agnes provided a DNA sample to the government pathologist in May to identify the remains of her three grandchildren, whose bodies were allegedly excavated from the Shakahola jungle.
Speaking to Citizen TV, Agnes has yet to see her family members' remains, as have hundreds of other families, four months later.
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“Tunauliza tutapewa miili hiyo ya watu wetu ama wameshazika? Na kama wamezika basi si watuambie tuww tunatoa hiyo kwa roho maana roho bado zimejaa uchungu,” she says.
On the other hand, Francis Wafula, a resident of Malindi, says “Maoni yangu mimi ni kwaba serikali ijaraksihe mambi ya dna DNA kwani madaktrai ni wangapi wamejaa huku wamesoma wangekuwa washamaliza hiyo mambo ya dna kitambo sana wapatie watu miili tayari wangekuwa wameshazika.”
The unearthed bodies from the Shakahola forest are placed in a container and sealed at the mortuary of the Malindi sub-county hospital.
To make it easier to charge notorious self-styled preacher Paul Mackenzie who was detained in May, human rights advocacy groups have increased their demand for the release of the autopsy findings.
“Tunaona sasa kama justice inakuwa delayed na tuna shauku kama justice itakuwa served to the victims ambao familai zao ziliangamia kule shakahola so tunaomba mahakama na DPP wacharge mackenzie na wenzake ili tuone nani alihusika na justice ikuwe served,” says Victor Kaudo of the Malindi Social Justice Centre.
According to the government doctor, 364 bodies that had been dug up from the Shakahola forest had undergone autopsies by the end of July.
The exhumation activity had been put on hold in July to allow for the post-mortem examination of the bodies that had already been transported to the Malindi sub-county hospital mortuary.
