New police boss transfers all Kware Police Station officers amid probe into bodies' discovery

The Acting Inspector General of Police has transferred all police officers stationed at Kware Police Station after at least eight bodies were discovered in a quarry in Nairobi's Mukuru slums.

The new police boss Douglas Kanja said the transfer was necessary to ensure fair and unbiased investigations following the discovery of the bodies.

He said the number of bodies retrieved from the quarry in the Kware estate in Embakasi currently stands at eight.

Kanja said six bodies were retrieved on Friday, July 12, and the rest on Saturday.

"Five more bags were retrieved from the same quarry yesterday. Three of the bags contained human body parts, while the other two contained a dog's carcass and garbage respectively," said Kanja.

"The Nairobi Funeral Home (City Mortuary) is currently preserving the eight bodies that were recovered. The scene is still active and investigations are ongoing."

Kanja said preliminary investigations have established that all recovered bodies were female, severely dismembered, in different states of decomposition and wrapped in sacks.

DCI Director Mohamed Amin addresses the press at Jogoo House, Nairobi on July 14, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki/EV

Police Reforms Working Groups (PRWG) had put the number of bodies recovered from the scene at 13 – claiming eight bodies were retrieved on Friday and five yesterday.

The number (of five bodies) given on Saturday by the PRWGs was determined by the number of sacks retrieved from the quarry before they were opened at the City mortuary where only three of them were found to be containing body parts.

Kanja said the entire National Police Service and himself understand the deep concerns and distress the tragedy brings to the families, residents of Kware and his fellow Kenyans.

"The police service and I would like to assure the public that we are committed to conducting transparent, thorough and swift investigations. Our departmental resources and officers, in collaboration with the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), are working tirelessly to conclude the investigations within 21 days," stated Kanja.

"Furthermore, we are committed to ensuring transparency throughout the post-mortem examination process in collaboration with relevant stakeholders including the media and civil society. To ensure fairness in the investigations, I have moved all the officers from Kware police station."

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI's) Homicides Unit is leading the investigations and is still at the scene, for the exercise to search and recover any other bodies, if any, at the scene.

DCI Director Mohamed Amin: We found 8 bodies at the Kware dumpsite in Nairobi, all female and aged between 18 and 30. Are we facing a cult, serial killers, or rogue medical practitioners? pic.twitter.com/T6zoIJMwSi

— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) July 14, 2024

Kanja urged residents of Kware and the entire country to be patient, and calm and give officers time to conclude investigations adding that "we stand with the community and remain committed to uncovering the truth and bringing those responsible to justice".

On Saturday, members of the public disrupted the exercise and demanded information on the number of bodies recovered from the abandoned quarry turned dumpsite and chased the officers from the scene prompting the police to temporarily suspend the exercise.