The government has released eight bodies recovered from Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County to relatives for burial following DNA identification, as efforts to identify victims of the 2023 tragedy continue.
Government Chief Pathologist Richard Njoroge announced the release on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Malindi hospital mortuary, where the remains were handed over to families for burial in their respective home counties.
The families travelled from different parts of the country, including Migori and Busia, to collect the remains of their loved ones following the identification process.
Njoroge said forensic investigations had helped authorities establish the identities of some of the victims, allowing their families to begin the process of laying them to rest.
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He revealed that investigators had recovered 53 bodies and 44 body parts from Kwale Inzalo village towards the end of last year, with DNA analysis playing a crucial role in identifying the victims.
“So far, after DNA analysis, we have identified or matched 14 bodies to their living biological relatives, and so today we will be releasing the bodies which have been claimed to their relatives for dignified burials in their home counties,” Njoroge said.
The latest handover is part of ongoing efforts to reunite families with victims whose identities have been established through forensic examinations.
Government calls for justice
Njoroge also called for the legal proceedings linked to the Shakahola deaths to be pursued to their conclusion, emphasising the need for accountability for those implicated in radicalising victims.
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“The legal system must pursue the matter to its logical conclusion,” he said.
Titus Omondi, a family member, said the fight against radicalisation should extend beyond individuals accused in the Shakahola case, warning against the manipulation of people and turning them against their communities.
“I’m not against Pastor Mackenzie, but I’m against anyone who is radicalising people, turning them against their community and society,” Omondi said.
The tragedy came to national attention in 2023 after authorities discovered mass graves in Shakahola Forest, with investigations linking the deaths to a religious movement associated with controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie.
The discoveries triggered extensive exhumations, forensic examinations and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Authorities have relied on DNA testing to establish the identities of recovered remains and match them with relatives, a process that has been critical in allowing families to claim their loved ones.
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The release of the eight bodies offers some families an opportunity to conduct burial ceremonies, even as the identification of other victims and legal proceedings related to the tragedy continue.
