Kilifi Plans Mass Burial of Unclaimed Shakahola Victims by December

KILIFI, Kenya — The Kilifi County Government is preparing to inter the unclaimed remains of victims of the Shakahola tragedy by December 2026, following clearance from investigators to proceed with the disposal of the bodies.

Kilifi County Executive Committee Member for Health, Peter Mwarogo, said 443 bodies and body parts recovered in connection with the Shakahola deaths have been embalmed at the county mortuary since the discovery of the mass graves in 2023.

Mwarogo said investigators and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had given the county approval to proceed with the interment.

“They have given us the go-ahead for the interment of the bodies. They have to be disposed in a way that they can be identified,” he said.

“We have full bodies and other body parts embalmed.”

Families Urged to Identify Remains

The county official said 14 bodies have so far been identified by their families.

The remaining unclaimed remains will be subject to the legal process required before disposal. According to the county, the bodies will be interred 21 days after the publication of a gazette notice.

Mwarogo urged families who may still have relatives missing in connection with the Shakahola deaths to come forward and participate in the identification process before the deadline.

“We have identified a land near Shakahola where the bodies will be interred. By December we will have concluded this matter,” he said.

The planned burial marks another stage in the prolonged forensic and judicial process surrounding the Shakahola tragedy, which came to national attention after authorities uncovered mass graves in Kilifi County in 2023.

Shakahola Case Continues in Court

The discovery of the graves triggered a wide-ranging investigation into the deaths and the activities of controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and his associates.

Mackenzie and other suspects remain in custody and face multiple charges arising from the deaths, including murder, manslaughter, terrorism and child-related offences.

The prosecution has continued presenting evidence as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and identify victims.

One of the suspects, Enos Amanya, also known as Haleluya, has reportedly admitted involvement in the deaths of hundreds of victims.

Appearing before the court, Amanya, through his lawyer Kelvin Lisanza, asked for a reduced sentence and expressed remorse for his actions.

The identification and interment of the remaining remains is expected to proceed alongside the ongoing court proceedings, with authorities continuing efforts to establish the identities of victims and provide families with answers.