The Machakos county government plans to dispose 31 unclaimed bodies lying at the Machakos Level Five Hospital mortuary, the Executive Committee Member for Health, Dr Daniel Yumbya, has said.

The county government has already kick-started the process by issuing a public notice to have the bodies collected by tomorrow, failure to which the devolved unit will seek authority from the court to bury the bodies in a mass grave.

“Pursuant to Health Cap 242(subsidiary public health-public mortuaries RULE 1991(2) interested members of the public are asked to identify and collect the bodies within seven days from September 7, failure to which the Machakos county will seek authority for disposal,” he said.

Addressing the press on Monday outside the hospital, the CECM said the bodies include eight foetuses, 20 males and 3 female bodies.

Only one body was identified as Hamidi Adi. Dr Yumbya said most of the bodies had been brought in by police from Athi River, Kyumbi, Machakos, Matuu, Yatta, Kathiani and Mbiuni.

“Five unidentified bodies came from the hospital while an additional one from Mavoko Level Four hospital,” he said.

The ECM said majority of the bodies were brought in a very bad state and had lain in the mortuary for close to eight months.