Gunshots, tension in Kware, Mukuru slums as more bodies are retrieved

Hundreds of locals mill around the Kware area of Pipeline after bodies were discovered. 

Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group

In a tense and chaotic scene unfolding at Kware Police Station today, authorities are grappling with a volatile situation as crowds grow increasingly unruly over the retrieval of five more sacks containing human remains.

On Friday, the officers said they had retrieved six bodies even though witnesses gave a higher number.

The situation has descended into chaos, with police firing shots into the air.

The situation escalated as members of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrived and began placing the contents of the sacks into body bags.

Massive crowd

This grim task drew a massive crowd to the station, with tensions running emotions high.

On Friday, the officers said they had retrieved six bodies even though witnesses gave a higher number.

Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group

By 3pm, two police water cannons stood at the ready, as the crowds grew impatient.

Additional police reinforcements arrived in a lorry.

The crowd's agitation reached a breaking point when the fifth sack was retrieved, worsening an already volatile atmosphere. Recce Squad officers, tasked with maintaining order since Saturday morning, were struggling to manage the surging crowds, who tore through police tape and threatened to open the sacks.

DCI homicide detectives put sacks with human bodies recovered from the Kware dumpsite into body bags.

Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group

To prevent further chaos, authorities had erected ropes to cordon off the area, aiming to keep the crowd at bay.

The strong smell from the sacks adds to the tense atmosphere, making onlookers more uneasy.

Authorities are calling for calm and investigating the unsettling discovery near Kware Police Station.