A sombre mood engulfed families of those who perished in the Shakahola forest as they thronged Malindi Hospital Mortuary to collect bodies of their loved ones.
Tears rolled down William Ponda's cheeks as he collected the bodies of his mother, Esther Biria Masha, nephews Harry Ngonyo and Seth Hinzani Ngala, and a sister-in-law, Emily Wanje.
His other nephew, Evabra Dito Ngala's body was not released on Tuesday because DNA samples collected from a body they believed was his did not match any relative.
It is the disappearance and death of members of Ngala's family that sparked a reaction that unearthed the cult activities on March 25, 2023. Ponda said his brother, Isaac Ngala, introduced his family to the cult in 2015. "They first went into Shakahola forest to fast and pray in 2021, and then kept coming and going," said a teary Ponda who said the whereabouts of his brother, a former GSU officer, are still unknown.
''Isaac was a police officer but after joining Makenzi, he quit his job, took his wife, their three children, and our mother to Shakahola forest to join Makenzi,'' recalled Ponda.
However, the tale-tell signs that Makenzi's Good News International Ministries had turned into a cult started to emerge after the ex-GSU officer and his wife stopped taking their kids to school.
According to Ponda, Emily started campaigns against family planning methods, schools, medicine and other earthly possessions in their Muyeye village in Malindi, Kilifi County. "My brother quit his job saying it was better to be God's soldier than serving human beings," said Ponda.
The bodies of Isaac Ngala and his last-born son, Imani Ngala have not yet been identified and the family has decided to keep the five bodies at a morgue hoping to get the rest.
''We are not ready for burial, so we have transferred their remains to Star Funeral Home. Burial is scheduled to take place on April 5 at Muyeye village in Malindi," said Ponda.
For the other families like that of Mr Daniel Ingati from Vihiga County, it was a double tragedy and pain. He viewed the decomposed body of his father at the morgue but could not collect it due to financial constraints.
''We came on Sunday and we have been told to take the remains but we don't have means to transport the body to Vihiga. We are still deliberating as a family to see how we can transport my father's remains home," said Ingati.
His father, Raphael Temba travelled to Shakahola in 2021. The old man lied to his family that he was heading to Kitale town in Trans Nzoia County for an evangelism crusade.
''We realised later that he was in Shakahola and he didn't want us to visit him," said Ingati, who requested the government and well-wishers to help him transport the body of his father to Vihiga.
More families, like that of Mzee Temba, only viewed the bodies of their loved ones but they were not able to collect the remains. Others called for a mass burial in Malindi.
Christine Omucheni, who lost her husband, Christopher Were, said her family lacks funds to transport the body to Budalangi, Busia County. ''When you lose someone like that, you feel a sense of disconnection. It is difficult for people who loved him to come together to mourn him," she said.
Mr Japhet Dzombo lost his wife, Judith Farasi, and his two daughters Elna Mpa and Magret Kadiii said he will do what it takes to make sure he accords them a befitting sendoff.
Further, some suspects in prison have asked their families not to bury their children until they are released. Mr Peter Menza, who is in custody, asked his family not to bury his seven-month-old daughter.
More bodies will be released tomorrow and the exercise will last two weeks. Speaking at the Malindi sub-county mortuary, Chief Government pathologist Johansen Oduor said at least 34 bodies had been identified through DNA.
''After this, the team will head back to the forest for the fifth phase of exhumations,'' Oduor said.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton has appealed to the government to help bereaved families bury their loved ones.
"Lack of closure could delay emotional healing while prolonged self-isolation might trigger depression. Many families simply feel lost, their grief exacerbated by life uncertainties,'' said Houghton.
