Forensic examinations of 33 bodies recovered from a mass grave at Makaburini Cemetery have unveiled a disturbing account of the victims’ final moments.
Dr. Richard Njoroge, a government pathologist, reported that all 25 examined victims are children of various ages, including premature infants and full-term babies. The pathology team identified the gender of most children, revealing 10 girls and 8 boys. However, the severe decomposition of some remains prevented the identification of 7 others.
Dr. Njoroge described the condition of the bodies, stating, “They exhibited various stages of decomposition; only a few appeared fresh. Some were severely decomposed. Among the 25, we identified eight as male and ten as female, while the gender of seven remained undetermined.”
Regarding the causes of death, Dr. Njoroge indicated that four children suffered from head injuries, while 10 died due to premature birth. In two cases, the cause of death could not be established. He added, “We could not determine the cause of death in two instances. Prematurity accounted for 10 deaths, and head injuries were found in four, bringing the total to 25.”
The initial phase of post-mortem examinations focused on the 25 children, with autopsies for the remaining eight adult bodies scheduled for Friday, March 27, 2026, as investigations into this grim discovery continue.
On March 24, 2026, officials exhumed at least 33 bodies from a mass grave at Makaburini Cemetery in Kericho County. While authorities initially reported 14 bodies at the site, it later became clear that 33 were recovered, including 25 children and six dismembered body parts.
On March 23, 2026, at approximately 9:30 a.m., two suspects faced charges in the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kericho.
This development follows a shift in focus by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on March 22, 2026, when detectives began investigating the transfer of 13 unclaimed bodies from Nyamira County after reports of a suspected mass grave at Makaburini Cemetery in Kericho East Sub-County.
