Nakuru South Cemetery: A final resting place where the dead no longer find peace

Kelvin Kamau, a resident of Nakuru, displays some of the human remains during an interview at Nakuru South Cemetery in Nakuru City on November 28, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

On any given day, Nakuru South Cemetery is a beehive of activity, with burials taking place and graves being dug.

Along the edges of cemented graves, workers install decorative metal barriers, shards of glass, or barbed wire to ward off intruders. These measures are intended to protect the graves from thieves who steal caskets, as well as to keep livestock that graze in the cemetery at bay.

However, these metal artworks have become the latest targets for thieves seeking to make quick money from scrap metal. Meanwhile, the wooden crosses bearing the names of the deceased are being sold cheaply to residents around the cemetery for use as firewood.

And, some individuals have gathered the courage to walk on the unfenced graves and, at times, dig up remains.

Hidden among overgrown bushes, fragments of skulls and bones lie scattered, desecrating their rightful resting places.

A few metres from the graves, pieces of what are believed to be a child’s skull, along with other bones, are scattered across the cemetery. Inside shallow, freshly dug graves, exposed pieces of coffins and the clothes of the deceased are visible.

READ: No room for the dead as Nakuru County declares two cemeteries full

This disturbing situation follows the release of a viral video that has left many social media users in shock. The footage, allegedly showing human remains stuffed into sacks, has sparked outrage and raised uncomfortable questions about the sanctity of burial practices in Nakuru County.

 A man sleeping on gravestones at Nakuru North Cemetery. [File, Standard]

The extent of overcrowding in the cemetery is glaring. Graves are crammed together so tightly that there are no walkways within the cemetery paths.

Diggers often target unmarked and un-cemented graves, exhuming bodies whose families may have long since forgotten or neglected them.

On Thursday, at least six graves had been dug up, exposing caskets with decomposing bodies that had been buried not long ago, raising serious public health concerns.

This haunting reality is symptomatic of a deeper crisis. Years of population growth, urbanisation, and historical displacement have strained resources, including burial space in Kenya’s fourth-largest city.

“We are forced to dig up old graves to make room for new ones. Sometimes, we even bury bodies just three or four feet deep, right on top of another, because there’s no space left,” confessed Kevin Kamau, a local resident, as he pointed to a white coffin with its handle exposed from a newly dug grave.

One local recounted how they had erected metal bars around a friend’s grave to keep away livestock grazing in the cemetery and prevent theft. However, they were shocked to find the bars stolen the following day.

“I looked around and saw other graves that had been vandalised, some opened up. I felt sad. People have no respect for the dead, none whatsoever. It’s heartbreaking to think that those who buried their loved ones here and left will one day face a rude shock,” they added.

Environmental activist James Wakibia expressed his outrage, stating that it is deeply troubling to see county officials failing to uphold respect for the deceased.

“It is deeply troubling to witness county officials neglecting their duty to honour the dead. What’s happening is not only illegal but also immoral—a blatant disregard for African cultural values and traditions. If decomposing bodies continue to be removed from graves and discarded carelessly, we risk a major public health crisis. If the government cannot ensure the dead rest in peace, how can we trust it to protect the living?” he said.

Kelvin Kamau, a resident of Nakuru, displays some of the human remains during an interview at Nakuru South Cemetery in Nakuru City on November 28, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Wakibia also urged the county to take immediate action by fencing cemeteries with concrete and providing 24-hour security to safeguard graves from tampering.

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He called on Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and her administration to intervene urgently, hold those responsible accountable, and implement measures to restore dignity to burial processes.

In a statement, the Nakuru County Government disputed the authenticity of the viral video, urging the public to disregard it and avoid spreading unverified information.

Although the county government initially refuted the video’s claims, a team from The Standard visited the cemetery and confirmed the disturbing situation.

Yesterday, the county government acknowledged the issue, stating, “We have put on hold any further burials at Nakuru South Cemetery. The situation is that the cemetery is full, and it is not going to get any better,” said Nakuru County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health, Roselyn Mungai.

The county has for the last four years sought to acquire land for new public cemetery without success.

“We have had an allocation of Sh40 million for more than three years for a cemetery. Any land we have identified has been found to have ownership issues. In other cases, people around the land don’t want to live near a cemetery and oppose the plan,” said Mungai.