Drama has unfolded at Embu Hospital Mortuary after hundreds of boda boda riders stormed the facility demanding the immediate release of the body of their colleague who died following a road accident.

The riders who stormed the health facility on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, disrupted operations at the mortuary for several hours as they protested what they termed as unnecessary delays in the release of the deceased’s body.

The deceased, identified as Peter Mburu, was involved in a road accident on Tuesday, 9th June 2026 and later succumbed to injuries.

According to the riders, the body had remained at the mortuary since Tuesday, June 9, 2026, without being attended to, prompting them to seek its transfer to another facility.

Addressing journalists outside the mortuary, the agitated riders accused hospital officials of frustrating efforts by the family to collect the body despite having completed the necessary arrangements.

Family outcry

They stated that the hospital management was insisting on a postmortem examination before releasing the body, a move they said was contrary to the wishes of the family.

“The family has already agreed that they do not require a postmortem examination. We do not understand why the hospital is insisting on it before releasing the body,” said Martin Mwiti, Chairman of Nduthi Culture in Embu County.

Police officers deployed to the facility had a difficult time containing the crowd as the riders chanted slogans and demanded the immediate release of the body.

Efforts by police officers to persuade the protesters to remain calm proved futile, with the riders becoming increasingly agitated and insisting that the body be handed over to the family without further delay.

“We are here to stand with the family of our colleague. All we want is for the body to be released so that the family can proceed with burial arrangements. The delay is causing unnecessary suffering,” Mwiti added.

Hospital remarks

While confirming the incident, Embu County CEC in charge of the health docket, Jamal Runyenje, said that the hospital could not release the body because of the nature of the circumstances surrounding the death.

He said the body was brought in the morgue by police and that the they police insisted that postmortem was necessary should any claim araise there after.

“The body of the man was brought in the mortuary yesterday with a police Occurrence Book (OB) and not that the hospital was refusing to release the body,the police wanted the postmortem done so that any claim that may araise after can be handled appropriately,”Jamal confirmed.

On the other hand, in an interview with People Daily Digital on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, the hospital maintained that it had to withhold the body due to the police protocol since it was booked with OB at the time of arrival on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.