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Shakahola tragedy: Family buries four members, seeks closure

Family members of Shakahola whistleblower Titus Ngonyo who will be laid to rest in Malindi on April 5, 2024. Photo by Farhiya Hussein.

By Farhiya Hussein | 05 Apr 2024

Out of the eight family members caught in the Shakahola tragedy, only one grandson, Ephraim, was rescued last year.

The family of Shakahola whistleblower Titus Ngonyo is still waiting for answers even as they bury four family members who were exhumed from the enormous Shakahola forest on Friday.

Ngonyo lost eight family members including his wife and firstborn son, Isaac Ngala, a General Service Unit officer.

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“Out of the eight family members, the DNA confirmed four of them died in the vast Shakahola forest,” explained Ngonyo.

The four include his wife, third-born son Harry Ngala, daughter-in-law Emily Wanje, and one grandson Seth Ngala, whose bodies they were able to glimpse inside the mortuary a week ago.

Family members of Shakahola whistleblower Titus Ngonyo are laid to rest in Malindi on April 5, 2024. Photo by Farhiya Hussein.

Out of the eight family members caught in the Shakahola tragedy, only one grandson, Ephraim, was rescued last year.

Ngonyo's eldest son, Isaac Ngala, his daughter-in-law, and his two-year-old grandson are yet to be found.

The family is still unsure whether the bodies to be buried are those of their relatives because they relied only on DNA confirmation from the authorities. They described their kin's bodies as being badly decomposed.

Family members of Shakahola whistleblower Titus Ngonyo are laid to rest in Malindi on April 5, 2024. Photo by Farhiya Hussein.

Despite a commitment made by CS Interior Kithure Kindiki, the family has yet to receive any government aid.

“We have not received any assistance from the government so far, despite Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki promising that the government will oversee the burial of the deceased relatives from Shakahola,” said Ngonyo.

Ngonyo has explained that so far, the family and friends have managed to raise a total of Sh100,000 with the burial budget for the four reduced from Sh500,000 to Sh300,000 due to the financial challenges faced by the family.

The deceased will be laid to rest at their home in the Shella Ward, Muyeye Soweto Village, Malindi Constituency.