Don’t turn a blind eye to River Yala bodies, State told

Nicholas Okero Okite at River Yala in Gem, Siaya County. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

The head of the Nyeri Catholic Archdiocese Anthony Muheria wants the State to get to the bottom of incidents of dumping bodies in River Yala.

Archbishop Muheria decried the apparent disregard for human life following reports that over 30 bodies have been retrieved from the river since August last year, even though the government claims only 19 bodies were retrieved in two years.

The archbishop, who spoke at Karatina University during a special mass, told the government to be firm in protecting human life.

“President Uhuru Kenyatta, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and all the relevant authorities must defend and protect life regardless of whether the victims are good or bad people,” he said.

Muheria also waded in the suicide and murder incidents being reported in the country and called on the relevant government departments to look into the issue in a bid to protect human life.

He called on aspirants seeking elective positions in August polls to preach unity and peace and not to balkanise the country to suit their political agenda.

“As we head to the General Election, leaders must know that the country is bigger than their political ambitions. Youth should desist from being drawn into the ethnic political game plan,” the archbishop said.

He appealed to the youth to register as voters and urged the Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to use places of worship to enhance voter registration.

University’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Mucai Muciri was present during the function.