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Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has told off politicians planning to visit Shakahola Forest, where over 100 bodies have been exhumed from shallow graves.

Speaking on Sunday, Kindiki defended his move to allow only members of the parliamentary security committee to access the forest, which has been declared a disturbed area.

“I allowed the National Assembly Security Committee to access Shakahola because it is a security operation zone and Parliament has a role. The other politicians, keep off. Don’t bring politics to Shakahola,” he said.

Kindiki reported that as of Sunday, May 7, 2023, at least 112 bodies had been exhumed from the forest, with more as the police continued to comb the forest.

“So far, 112 bodies have been exhumed and the experts are telling us that we have more graves at Shakahola. On Tuesday, we resume the exhumation process because the weather has improved. These criminals have cost us greatly as a nation,” Prof Kindiki said.

“The government has nothing to hide. It doesn’t matter the number of bodies recovered from Shakahola, we will broadcast the truth to the world because we don’t want this tragedy to ever happen again.”

Raila turned away from Shakahola

On Friday, May 5, 2023, Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga was denied entry into the Shakahola Forest where it is feared that hundreds are buried after cult deaths.

Raila visited the site in Kilifi County alongside coastal leaders including Kilifi woman representative Gertrude Mbeyu, MPs Amina Mnyanzi( Malindi) and Harrison Kombe (Magarini).

“The Shakahola incident has caught the world’s attention. I haven’t seen anywhere else where there have been reports of cults (and) the media is blocked. Why did the government ban the media and human rights from the ground? I don’t need anyone’s permission to get there and I had even made my visit public,” Raila said.

A bitter exchange ensued at the site as the officers cited “orders from above” to deny the opposition supremo entry to the site.

On Friday, President William Ruto appointed a Commission of Inquiry to investigate suspected killings in Shakahola Forest.

The President also appointed a task force to review the legal and regulatory framework governing religious organizations.