Opposition leaders have strongly objected to Nairobi County’s plan to dispose of 295 unidentified bodies, saying they may be victims of last year’s anti-government protests. The leaders made the remarks on Sunday, September 21, 2025, during a church service in Kajiado.

Jubilee Party Secretary General Chairman Jeremiah Kioni accused President William Ruto’s administration of trying to bury the truth. He criticised the county government’s decision to seek legal authority to bury the bodies lying at the Nairobi Funeral Home, formerly City Mortuary.

Kioni said the move disregards justice for families who lost their loved ones during the demonstrations. Holding up a copy of the gazette notice, he told supporters:

“Hii karatasi iko na 295, watu hawajulikani jina, just a number of dead people, hawajulikani lolote. It is just a number of dead persons, city mortuary, na wanaenda kuzikwa. Kwa sababu ni Wakenya hawajulikani majina, hawajulikani watokako, ni kama wanyama. 295. Hii iliwekwa kwa Kenya Gazette na Sakaja. Na sasa haya ndio mambo ambayo sisi katika upinzani lazima tupambane nayo.”

Kioni compared Kenya’s situation to Malawi, where he said leaders were voted out when citizens grew tired of failed governance.

“Malawi uchaguzi imefanywa, na yule alikuwepo alipelekwa nyumbani na sufuria kuwa empty. Ata hapa itakuwa vile vile,” he warned.

Elsewhere, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja vowed to resist political interference in the county.

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i also condemned the plan, suggesting the bodies may belong to young people killed during protests. He accused the government of attempting to cover up state violence.

“Na tunataka wale watu wote watenda dhambi Kenya hii, wale wanataka kuzika watoto wetu 290, kutudanganya ati kuna number watu ambao hawaezi kujulikana ni akina nani. Unajua, people are not foolish. Viongozi wetu wasifikiri sisi ni wajinga. Hawa watu walikufa, they fall from the sky and died? Labda hawa ni watoto wetu waliuwawa wakati ule wa maandamano. That is it, watu wasifikiri watu wetu eti ni wajinga,” Matiang’i said.

Compensation demands justice first

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka echoed the concerns, stressing that the bodies were evidence of killings that took place during protests in 2024. He said the government could not talk about compensation while avoiding accountability.

“Thank you, ndugu Kioni, for showing us that list. Now it is evident kwamba last year’s maandamano, especially in Githurai, ilisababisha vifo vya vijana wetu wengi. Sasa imedhihirika wazi. Na ndio sisi kwa upande wa upinzani tukaamua kuanzisha tume; people’s restorative justice. Kwa sababu mambo haya Kioni ametuonyesha ni lazima yaletwe mbele. Lazima Wakenya waongee mambo haya. Ata kabla ya kufanya mengine kwa mfano kusema mtafanya compensation. Compensation without justice? Kusema nitakuua kisha baadaye nikulipe laki mbili, hiyo ni upuzi,” Kalonzo declared.

Nairobi County had announced in early September that families had seven days to identify and collect the unclaimed bodies. Officials said DNA samples would be taken before disposal for possible future identification.

However, opposition leaders argue that the notice was rushed and designed to erase evidence of state-linked killings. They demanded a transparent process, an independent investigation, and an apology.

The leaders also used the platform to urge Kenyans to prepare for change through the ballot. Matiang’i said he was ready to “carry the mantle of leadership” and asked young people to register as voters.

Embakasi South MP Julius Mawathe also joined the calls, accusing the government of failing to improve the economy while trying to silence the truth about protest victims.