NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Police Service (NPS) has admitted lapses in intelligence and coordination that allowed the Kwa Binzaro cult tragedy to unfold, despite earlier lessons from last year’s Shakahola massacre.
Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri on Friday conceded that weaknesses in security operations contributed to the crisis, where at least 32 bodies have been recovered and over 60 people are feared dead.
“It is a saddening development. There seems to have been a disconnect between intelligence services, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and the wider administration,” Muchiri told journalists.
He described the failures as “a mistake,” pledging that a comprehensive review would be undertaken to determine why the tragedy was not prevented.
More Bodies Recovered
Authorities reported that on Thursday, seven more bodies were exhumed at the site, along with 54 body parts believed to belong to additional victims.
Government pathologist Dr. Richard Njoroge said some of the bodies were relatively fresh, raising concerns that victims may have been buried only weeks or months ago.
“We have noted that at this particular site the bodies look a bit fresh. They are not fully skeletonized. The bodies we found here look to have been buried a few months or weeks ago,” Dr. Njoroge explained, adding that wild animals may have disturbed some of the shallow graves.
Public Assurances
Authorities have urged patience as investigations continue, promising corrective measures to prevent another recurrence.
The Kwa Binzaro deaths have reignited national outrage, with critics questioning how a second cult-related mass tragedy could occur so soon after Shakahola, where hundreds of victims of starvation and abuse were uncovered.
