By Robert Mutasi 
The standoff between Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and the Uasin Gishu County Government over the burial of unclaimed bodies has been resolved, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Phillip Kirwa has confirmed.
The resolution comes after public outrage over an incident where police officers from Yamumbi were reportedly forced to keep two bodies in their vehicles for over 12 hours after mortuary attendants declined to receive them.
The two men, suspected of attempted theft of mobile phones, had allegedly been beaten to death by a mob in the Cherunya area. Residents alerted Yamumbi Police Station, and officers collected the bodies and transported them to the MTRH mortuary.
However, according to reports, the facility declined to admit the remains, forcing officers to return to the station with the bodies before making a second attempt to deliver them early Monday morning.
The incident drew sharp criticism towards both the hospital management and Governor Jonathan Bii’s administration.
Dr. Kirwa attributed the incident to severe capacity constraints, noting that the mortuary is operating beyond its holding limit. The facility is reportedly holding more than 200 unclaimed bodies, which has strained its services.
At the centre of the dispute are allegations that the county government has declined to allocate a designated burial site for unclaimed bodies and has been imposing high disposal charges for the last two years, hampering coordination between the two institutions.
“It is disturbing to see police officers being forced to move bodies back and forth instead of ensuring they are received at the mortuary. We want the hospital management to explain what happened and establish a clear procedure for handling such cases,” said Edwin Barasa, a resident of Cherunya.
Langas village elder Musita Odinga also demanded clarity from the county.
“The county government needs to explain why they are refusing MTRH to bury unclaimed bodies and the many charges they have been demanding for the last two years. Members of the public deserve clear information on what is going on,” he said.
The hospital says a framework has now been agreed upon to prevent a recurrence and to clear the backlog of unclaimed bodies.