- The opposition leader concluded that this was an indication that the government had something to hide.
- He said an investigation drawing as much attention as the Shakahola incident was supposed to be transparent.
Image: FILE
ODM leader Raila Odinga has accused the government of hiding something even as the probe into the Shakahola tragedy continues.
He said he was shocked to be blocked from accessing the site, noting he had gone there as a Kenyan and a leader.
He spoke on Friday after he was barred from entering the operation zone.
Raila explained that he had been told to wait for MPs who were touring the area so he could join them inside the site.
"Hao wabunge ni wabunge wangu. Wananiambia mimi nigonje mtoto wangu wakija hapa ndio akupatie ruhusa ya kuingia ndani. Aibu," he said.
This is loosely translated to, "Those are my MPs. They are telling me to wait for my children so they can permit me to get in there. Shame."
He added that he had called Interior CS Kithure Kindiki following the barring, who told him to wait.
"He was asking for permission," Raila said, adding that he called again only to find that he could not reach the minister.
The opposition leader concluded that this was an indication that the government had something to hide.
He said an investigation drawing as much attention as the Shakahola incident was supposed to be transparent.
"An investigation such as this requires the attention of the media. What are you hiding? Aren't people already dead and buried? But the media personnel have been banned from the ground... These guys are hiding something," he said.
The former Prime Minister said he had visited Shakahola to condole with those who lost their loved ones.
"Poleni sana," he said.
The forest is the scene of the crime where 110 bodies were exhumed, with the deaths linked to controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie.
The Good News International Church preacher is alleged to have shared indoctrinated message with his followers and told them to starve to meet their maker.
Raila regretted that such inhumanity could happen, saying it was worrying for the nation.
"The Bible says Jesus will come back here on earth so it is required that you wait for him here," he said.
He recalled the backlash the opposition received in 2022 when they said there was a need to regulate religion in Kenya.
Raila urged Kenyans to be vigilant.
"Nasema tuzuie yale ambayo yanakuja."
On Thursday, Chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor said 100 bodies had undergone postmortem.
He said they were left with 11 bodies including one of Mackenzie's followers who died in hospital after being rescued.
Exhumations will resume on 15 newly identified graves.
Mackenzie and 17 of his co-accused persons are still in police custody and will remain there for five more days.