Wamuzi News Ke
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has issued a grim ultimatum: 124 unclaimed bodies will be disposed of within seven days unless family or next of kin come forward.
The somber announcement from the country’s largest referral hospital has stirred public emotion. Among the dead are 33 adults and an alarming 91 newborns—tiny lives lost and forgotten. KNH officials revealed that some of the bodies have been lying in their morgue for months, with no one to claim or mourn them.
In a desperate plea to the public, KNH urged anyone who might have lost a loved one to visit the hospital’s Farewell Home and help identify the bodies. Failure to act will lead to the hospital seeking a court order to carry out mass disposals, in accordance with the Public Health Act.
“We are overwhelmed. The mortuary is full. If the remains are not claimed in time, we will have no choice but to bury them in public cemeteries,” said a hospital spokesperson.
This is not the first time Kenya has faced such a haunting reality. Between 2003 and 2006, over 5,500 bodies were buried in mass graves by City Mortuary and KNH. In just five months in 2006 alone, 1,500 corpses were processed, with mortuary fees totaling over KSh 5 million lost due to non-collection.
Traditionally, such bodies are buried without the dignity of rites or family closure—just mass graves and silence.
Legal timelines are clear: unclaimed bodies must be disposed of within 10 days, and if unclaimed after a public notice of 14 days, a court order is required to proceed with the burial.
The growing number of abandoned remains has become a logistical and emotional crisis for health workers and mortuary staff. The overflow is not just a health risk—it’s a sign of a deeper societal issue: Where are these families? Why are so many left unclaimed?
KNH’s call is urgent. The clock is ticking.
If you suspect a missing relative or loved one, this may be your last chance to find closure.
