Ad Hoc Committee Recommends Reform Following Shakahola Massacre

The Kilifi County Assembly Ad Hoc Committee has urged the Kenyan government to develop a memorial centre at Shakahola for individuals whose bodies have been rejected by their families due to cultural stigma. The committee’s request was made during a Senate Ad Hoc Committee session that was investigating the proliferation of religious bodies in the country and the Shakahola deaths.

Chaired by Benson Karisa from the Ganze Ward, the County Assembly Committee asked the government to enhance the Forensics Department’s ability for swift body identification and DNA matching. The committee also proposed a government buyout of the 50,000-acre Chakama Ranch after its lease termination, plus other ranches in Kilifi, to avert events like the Shakahola massacre.

Karisa urged relevant institutions, including the Ethic and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, to discipline government officers linked to the Shakahola massacre. He called for a regulatory body to supervise religious institutions and criminalize any entity abusing women’s and children’s rights.

The committee also suggested effective coordination between the national and county governments on security issues and enacting proactive legislation and policies on disaster management. Karisa proposed the creation of rescue and counselling centres for Shakahola massacre victims and the implementation of witness protection policies.

The County Assembly Ad Hoc Committee also encouraged vigilance and community policing, alongside the Communication Authority of Kenya regulating religious content on TV. The committee’s suggestions are part of an ongoing investigation into the Shakahola massacre.