Sakaja Urges Upgrade of Identification Technology as Nairobi Prepares to Bury 473 Unclaimed Bodies

Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has called for an overhaul of biometric identification and family tracing technology nationwide as the county moves to seek burial orders for 473 unclaimed bodies.

The remains, held at the Nairobi City County Funeral Home (formerly City Mortuary), have been unclaimed for periods ranging from March 2025 to March 2026. The seven-day public notice period for claiming these bodies expired on August 18, 2026.

Pressure on Facility and Public Health Concerns

The funeral home has a capacity of 184 bodies, but the extended stay of unclaimed remains has strained the facility and affected its operations, raising concerns about public health and sanitation.

In compliance with the Public Health Act (Cap 242) and Mortuary Rules (1991), the county will now approach the courts to obtain burial orders to decongest the mortuary.

Collaboration and Identification Efforts

The county is working closely with the Judiciary, National Police Service's Homicide Division, civil society groups, and the Law Society of Kenya to manage the process.

Post-mortem examinations are conducted under Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor, with DNA samples collected and stored by the Government Chemist. This enables families to identify relatives even after burial.

Calls for Technology Modernization

Governor Sakaja emphasized the need to modernize biometric identification and family tracing systems to reduce the number of unclaimed bodies and help locate missing persons.

A Family Desk has been established at the Nairobi Funeral Home to provide information, counselling, and tracing support for families searching for missing loved ones.

Background and Impact

• Over 1,000 unclaimed bodies have been respectfully buried under Sakaja’s administration, improving mortuary service delivery and sanitation.
• The full list of unclaimed bodies was published in major newspapers as per court directives to enable families to come forward.
• The county urges anyone searching for missing relatives to visit the Funeral Home support desk or consult the published lists.