River of sorrow: The mystery of bodies floating in Yala

Police retrieve the body of an unknown person from River Yala in Ulungo village, Siaya County. [Isaiah Gwengi, Standard].

From its source in Nandi Escarpment in the Rift Valley to Lake Victoria, where it empties its waters, River Yala appears to have become a depository of dead bodies.

Some of those who live a long the river say they have lost count of the number of bodies they have discovered floating in the river, some of them decomposing.

Decades ago, the river was a major source of sand for those in the building and construction industry. It is also rich in fish.

Those interviewed also said those who wanted to meditate would sit near the river to do so. And it helped a lot as the waters smashed against stones in the river.

Obviously, River Yala is also a major source of water. 

But today, the river has turned from a source of life to a source of sorrow.

Those who live in areas where the river passes claim people may be using the river to conceal murders if the number of bodies found in the river and the frequency they are discovered is anything to go by.

Some of the bodies have been found badly mutilated. Some of the bodies had serious injuries, including deep cuts. Some bodies have been found chopped into pieces and stashed into bags.

No week passes with the discovery of a body in River Yala, some residents claimed. 

"We can't say the people we have found dead in the river drowned. Some were tied with ropes. We people some of these people are killed for whatever reason then dumped in the river to conceal the murder," said Mr David Rabut, a resident of Ndiwo village in Bondo, Siaya County.

He told The Standard that most of the bodies they have discovered in the river were in a bad state that made identifying them difficult.

Erick Omondi, also from Ndiwo, said they are living in fear as more and bodies are found in the river. 

"These are not usual cases of drawing. We feel people are being killed and dumped into the river," said Omondi. 

Most of the bodies in Siaya have been found in Ndiwo and Ulungo villages. Up to two bodies would be spotted floating in the river in one week, residents said. Identities of the victims are normally not known.

"The people who have been found dead in the river are not locals. It seems people are being killed elsewhere and dumped into the river," said Omondi.

Bondo sub-county police boss Roseline Chebosho said at least one case of drowning in River Yala is reported every month.

Two months ago, a decomposed body of an unidentified man was retrieved from the river. The police suspected the person may have been killed his body dumped into the river.

In the latest incident reported on Tuesday evening, villagers stumbled onto a decomposing body on the banks of the river at Ulungo village.

Witnesses said the decomposed body, of a male adult, appeared to have been at the river bank for some time.  Dogs had started feeding on the corpse. The unidentified body was picked by police and taken to Bondo sub-county hospital mortuary.

Residents now claim no conclusive investigations have been conducted by police into the cases.

Florence Mgele termed the trend shocking. She said many bodies have lately been found in the river and this is a cause of concern for residents.

"Initially, we would witness cases of people who committed suicide by drowning and they were not as many. Today, we are finding so many bodies in the river and we are worried," she said.

"We are also at great risk with the many decomposing bodies found in the river since we are also using the waters for domestic use. There have been instances where dogs carry human remains to their homes," said Mgele.

Joseph Ogutu, a diver, said they have retrieved six bodies from the river since the beginning of this year.

Several youths from Ndiwo village have become divers earning a living from retrieving bodies from the river.

"There are times we have gone to retrieve a body only for us to bump into more bodies. But we only retrieve those whose families make a request or of people known to the divers,” he said.

Officials said some of the victims might have been killed elsewhere before the bodies were dumped into the river.

Several unclaimed bodies are at Yala sub-county hospital morgue. Records at Gem sub-county offices indicate that three of the bodies were retrieved from the river four weeks ago, two of which were stashed in sacks. 

Gem Deputy County Commissioner Mosero Chacha said the bodies were retrieved from different parts of the river although a majority were found at Ndanu falls.

"That place in Ndanu falls is like a trap. Most bodies end up there," he said.

He added: "We are calling upon families with missing kin to come and check at the Yala sub-county hospital morgue."

Yala Township MCA William Kenyanyi said the unclaimed bodies might be from the Western part of the country.

County Health Executive Dismas Wakla said Yala sub-county hospital morgue had 14 unclaimed bodies.

Additional Reporting by Olivia Odhiambo  

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