Kisumu County gov’t cleared to dispose of 69 unclaimed bodies lying in morgues

Kisumu County government on Tuesday obtained a court order allowing them to dispose of a total of 69 bodies lying in various mortuaries.

This followed an earlier directive issued by the county government to clear the bodies for burials amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

County Attorney and Legal Advisor Edris Omondi said the county will go ahead and bury the bodies in various cemeteries in Kisumu in case they will remain uncollected by Friday this week.

Mr. Omondi said the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital has the highest number at 51 bodies, while the Kisumu County Hospital has 15 and Port Florence Community Hospital has two.

The County Attorney added that despite many notices issued, the bodies were yet to be collected leaving the county with no option but to dispose of them.

In a statement, he said aside from the 69 bodies, there are also 9 others whose relatives cannot be traced and have stayed in morgues without being collected.

Kisumu County government had issued a directive that bodies should not stay in the mortuary past 48 hours after death has occurred.