Morticians slam IG Koome over claim of hiring out bodies to politicians during demos

The Morticians and Allied Professionals Association of Kenya (MAPAKe) has condemned Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome over his recent remarks that politicians were hiring dead bodies from mortuaries and portraying them as victims of police brutality during the anti-government protests.

In a statement to newsrooms on Wednesday, the morticians faulted the IG over his claims labelling them “unfair” to their professionalism as they reiterated their commitment to adhering to moral ethics and the rule of law.

“We condemn the statement made by the Inspector General of Police Mr. Japheth Koome because we believe that no mortuary technician in the Kenya of today can even attempt to do such a thing,” said MAPAKe.

“The office of the Inspector General is such a respected office to even attempt to lower it to such unimaginable actions. We work very closely with the police service in our day-to-day operations and believe that this position we are taking is very well known to the Inspector General.”

The Association, therefore, demanded IG Koome to substantiate his sentiments by ensuring anyone culpable faces the law, failure to which he should withdraw his remarks which they say taints their image and profession.

“We demand the Inspector General to furnish both Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority and Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board; the two registering, regulating and licensing bodies of mortuary technicians and the mortuary facilities respectively the particulars of those implicated for investigation and if found culpable, necessary disciplinary actions taken against them,” read the statement.

“Failure to do so, the Inspector General should withdraw his remarks against the facilities as he put it and also the Mortuary practitioners as he also put it in his statement.”

The statement further added: “Mortuary practitioners, serve all Kenyans without caring about their tribe, race, class, political alignment or religion. It is therefore very unfair for the Inspector General to try and tag our profession along or into matters we are less concerned with.”

MAPAKe clarified that they are regulated by the law under the Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority (KHPOA), adding that their ethical guidelines emphasise the respect of the dead.

“Mortuary technicians are no longer the rogue, careless, dirty, drunk and reckless uneducated individuals. Mortuary technicians are registered, licensed and regulated by a Government Authority established by an Act of Parliament; Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority (KHPOA),” they stated.

“Mortuary technicians are governed by ethics, chiefly among them being, respect and confidentiality of the deceased and respect for the loss, feelings and the right of the bereaved to mourn their loved ones in peace. Mortuary technicians operate within and observe the laws of Kenya in all our practice.”

IG Koome on Tuesday said he had intel that political leaders conspire with morgue attendants to take pictures of dead bodies, after which they post them on social media platforms to taint the image of the police force.

"The information I have is they go to some of the mortuaries, compromise the workers there, people even who died of some illness, people who died maybe out of an accident or other causes, they take photographs of such bodies and blame on police,” claimed Koome.

The statement has attracted the ire of a section of the political class, with the opposition faction urging the IG to retract and apologise to Kenyans.