- The 14 bodies were collected from the Gem subcounty side.
- Many of the bodies were found stashed in sacks, indicating murder.
Residents of Ulungo village in Bondo subcounty, Siaya county have raised concern over the growing number of bodies being discovered in River Yala.
They are complaining that dogs feed on the decomposing bodies, dragging some of the parts to their homes.
From January to October 15, the Star has established that police in Yala picked 14 bodies from various points along the river.
The 14 bodies were collected from the Gem subcounty side.
Yala River traverses Gem and Bondo subcounties as it feeds into Lake Victoria.
Many of the bodies were found stashed in sacks, indicating murder.
On Wednesday, Bondo subcounty police commander Roseline Mnyolmo confirmed that another body was collected from the river after residents alerted the police.
"Its was collected yesterday (Thursday) and the bones preserved at Bondo Subcounty hospital mortuary," she said.
Florence Akoth, a resident of Ndiwo village that lies along the river, claims that every two days, a body is sighted floating in the river.
"We have been forced to live with the stench of death. The water is no longer safe for domestic use. We are not sure whether these people are killed elsewhere and dumped here," she said.
Beatrice Akoth, another resident, lives near the river. She says the stench gets to her house making them uncomfortable.
"The sudden upsurge of bodies spotted floating in the river in this village is worrying. Some of theM are stashed in gunny bags," she said.
David Amolo, a resident of Ulungo village, said the body that was collected by the police on Thursday had been at the river bank for two weeks.
"Dogs would cart away parts of it and carry to the village. It was a horrifying scene. The police only collected the skeleton left behind," he said.
The notorious points along the river where most bodies are found are Ndanu forest and Ndhawa bridge.
This information is contained in a classified county health department document obtained by the Star.
The document was meant for Health executive Dismas Wakla to help deal with the bodies choking the mortuary.
According to the document, between October 3 and October 11, four bodies in sacks were collected by the police from the Ndhawa bridge area.
The first body was collected on October 3. Seven days later two more bodies were recovered, then the following day on October 11 police picked another body from the bridge area. All were men.
Eight of the unclaimed bodies retrieved from River Yala will be disposed of by public health officers.
Gem subcounty police commander Charles Chacha told the Star that DCI detectives are probing the deaths.
A month ago, four unidentified bodies stashed in sacks were picked from the river at Ndhawa bridge, Chacha said, adding that the total since January is 14.
"Having the bodies put in a sack points to murder. It is possible the victims were killed elsewhere and their bodies dumped at the bridge," he said.
The OCPD also asked the public with information about the missing persons to inform police.
"Doing so will help us identify the bodies and establish whether they are residents of this subcounty," he said.
In the past, people have used the river, especially at Ndanu Falls. to commit suicide.
A few years ago, a lecturer at Maseno University ended her life by jumping into the river at Ndanu Falls.
Her car was found parked outside a hotel in Yala town.
-Edited by SKanyara