NAIROBI: Twelve dead babies were found stuffed in boxes and plastic bags in a Kenyan hospital when Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko went to the Pumwani Maternity Hospital on an impromptu visit after he received reports of negligence.


Nairobi Governor was quoted saying, "During the impromptu visit, I uncovered 12 bodies of infants who died at the hospital mysteriously and their bodies hidden in boxes and paper bags inside a room,".

In a confrontation captured on video and shared online, the Governor stormed into the hospital and demanded to know how many children died that day. A hospital employee told him the only one died since Friday.

Sonko ordered the employee to open several boxes and plastic bags kept in a room. They counted 12 bodies, the report said. It was not immediately clear what killed the babies or what happened to their mothers.

Mr Sonko said he suspended several top hospital officials including the superintendent, the administrator and the ob-gyn physician on duty, following the incident. An investigation has been ordered in the case.


Kenyan officials demanded changes after the incident came to light. "The situation unearthed at Pumwani is saddening, heartbreaking and undeserving to any family," Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja tweeted.

"Spoken to Director of Criminal Investigations to investigate concerned parties on the deaths of the babies as well as allegations of child trafficking and baby swaps," he said.