Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has called for urgent and lasting solutions to the worsening congestion crisis at the City Mortuary.
The former governor made the appeal after visiting the facility and finding several grieving families stranded due
to unpaid bills.
Sonko was among the mourners who had gone to identify the body
of Michael Okoth, a young man from Kibera who died in the Kasarani Stadium
stampede during the public viewing of the late Raila Odinga’s body.
The former governor said he was deeply disturbed by the
deplorable conditions at the facility and the suffering of families unable to
collect their loved ones’ remains.
“Now I know why many politicians avoid such places,” Sonko
said.
“I was really moved by the sight of helpless families stuck
at City Mortuary because of unpaid bills. A permanent solution is urgently
needed to end this suffering.”
He vowed to settle Okoth’s mortuary bills and cover the cost
of his burial in Alego Usonga, Siaya County.
Sonko expressed concern that congestion at the mortuary has
become a recurring problem that demands both administrative and humanitarian
intervention.
“I remember during my time as county boss, I used to waive
morgue fees in deserving cases to help families bury their loved ones,” he
recalled.
“That also helped decongest the mortuary, which was already
under pressure even then.”
During his visit, Sonko personally cleared several pending
mortuary bills for families who had been unable to raise funds.
He noted that through the Sonko Rescue Team, his foundation
continues to assist bereaved families across Nairobi with mortuary fees, caskets,
and transport for burials.
“Every week, we handle more than 20 bereavement cases,
including paying mortuary fees for families who cannot afford them,” he said.
City Mortuary, officially known as the Nairobi Funeral Home, is one of the oldest public mortuaries in Kenya.
It was established during the colonial era in the 1950s to serve as the main government facility for storing and preserving bodies within Nairobi and its environs.
Located along Ngong Road near Kenyatta National Hospital, the mortuary was initially designed to handle about 60 to 100 bodies at a time.
Despite an official holding
capacity of 184 bodies, the facility was accommodating over 600 by late 2024.
In August last year, the Nairobi County Government announced
plans to dispose of 120 unclaimed bodies within seven days, sparking public
outrage and criticism from human rights organizations.
The mortuary continues to receive bodies from hospitals, accident scenes, and police operations, further straining its limited space and resources.
