Exhumation in Kenya cult site paused to allow DNA sampling on 34 bodies

A chilling exhumation operation in Kwa Bi Nzaro, a remote area in Kilifi County, has uncovered dozens of bodies, reigniting fears of a renewed cult-linked death tragedy. Forensic teams, assisted by homicide detectives, have retrieved at least 24 bodies in just five days, amid a widening investigation into possible links with the notorious Shakahola doomsday sect. Citizen Digital+2Citizen Digital+2 According to pathologist Dr Richard Njoroge, additional body parts were also found nearby, and some graves remain unexcavated as authorities intensify the probe. Citizen Digital+1
This development casts a long shadow over the area where more than 400 bodies were exhumed in 2023 from the Shakahola Forest, in one of Kenya’s worst-cult related tragedies. Wikipedia+2Kenyans+2 The current operation has mapped out more than 20 suspected grave sites, and officials report that some of the newly exhumed victims may be people who had previously escaped from the Shakahola tragedy only to return. Mwakilishi One key suspect — a woman alleged to be operating the compound — is among 11 people arrested, and authorities say they are tracing land ownership and how the site was organised. People Daily+2The Standard+2 Investigators describe the burial pattern as different from the earlier massacre, noting hasty, shallow burials and bodies uncovered without clothes or ceremonial coverings. Mwakilishi
The public reaction has been one of horror and mounting pressure on the government to give clarity. Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo has demanded full transparency, calling on the police to explain how so many bodies ended up in the forest — and why many appear not to be locals. The Star Civil rights campaigners, meanwhile, are urging faster DNA testing to help families identify lost loved ones and bring closure. Authorities say that the exhumation effort will continue until all suspected graves are cleared, and DNA profiles are matched to relatives. Citizen Digital+1
Looking forward, officials have pledged a more robust and coordinated multi-agency response. The current operation, which includes forensic experts, homicide units, and pathologists, signals a determination not just to recover remains, but to understand how a potentially revitalised cult network may be operating. Authorities say DNA testing, post-mortems, and deeper community engagement will be central to their ongoing efforts — as Kilifi grapples with the possibility that the shadow of Shakahola may not have lifted after all.