Police officers found themselves in a standoff with the Nairobi City County government after being blocked from delivering unidentified bodies to the City Mortuary. The county government claims the facility is at full capacity, which has caused significant disruptions to police operations, as officers typically take bodies from crime scenes and accidents to the morgue.


The officers were left in limbo for most of the day, forced to keep the bodies in their vehicles after being denied access to the mortuary. Later in the night, they attempted to return to the facility, but were again turned away.


Even when senior officers intervened, City Hall remained firm, stating that the mortuary was already overcrowded, holding 607 bodies despite having a capacity of just 184. Mortuary staff were hesitant to admit any police vehicles with unidentified bodies, fearing repercussions from the directive issued by City Hall, which could potentially cost them their jobs.

One officer was even ordered to provide a written explanation for accepting two bodies brought in from Ruai by police the previous night. After several calls to county officials, the officers were finally allowed to admit the body after a nine-hour wait, raising concerns about the actual capacity of the City Mortuary and where police are expected to take unidentified bodies in the future.