Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga was on Friday morning barred from accessing the Shakahola Forest massacre operation zone.

Raila arrived at the scene flanked by other leaders but the commander in charge of the operation told him to first get permission from Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome.

“I want to access the forest so that I can be able to see the graves. I can't travel all the way and go back without seeing the scene,” said an irked Raila.

He added, “It is known all over the world, you should never bar members of the public from seeing, the media and people representing humanitarian organisations.” 

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Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police Peter Ndung’u told journalists that because the area was declared a crime scene, allowing Raila in could interfere with their investigation.

“No one is allowed in the forest because the process is delicate,” said Ndung’u.

He was accompanied to the operation zone in Kilifi County by area leaders including Malindi Parliamentarian Amina Mnyazi and Kilifi County Woman Representative Gertrude Mbeyu, who engaged the commander in a bitter exchange of words over the decision to bar them.

“If you cannot handle the case of Baba’s entry, just tell us who we need to call. You cannot do that!” barked Mbeyu. 

Last week Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared Shakahola and the Chakama Ranch area an operation zone barring access to the scene by the media, activists and public.

This comes after 109 bodies were exhumed from the 800-acre Shakahola forest land where controversial Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s cultic Good News International church is located.

On Tuesday, Raila blasted President William Ruto over his plans to establish a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Shakahola cult deaths terming it unlawful in Kenya since the promulgation of the Constitution in 2010.

"In the matter of Shakahola and the growth of cult activities in the nation, Mr. Ruto is as much a suspect as is all the cult pastors from Shakahola and beyond. He owes the people of Kenya an explanation before he purports to be trying to solve the problem," said Raila at a media briefing on Tuesday.