It’s been a dark week for families in different corners of Kenya, as a series of violent deaths once again put the spotlight on domestic strife and rising insecurity.
From the shores of Lake Nakuru to villages in Trans Nzoia, Homa Bay, Kilifi and Nyamira, police are piecing together grim murder scenes that have left communities reeling.
In Nakuru, the search for 21-year-old South Sudanese national Mach Mayen Anyieth ended in heartbreak. His decomposing body was pulled out of Lake Nakuru near the Nyuki area after days of frantic searching by his relatives, police, and Kenya Wildlife Service officers. Officers noted a visible injury at the back of his head, pointing to possible foul play. “We have opened a murder inquiry. We cannot speculate until post-mortem results are out,” a senior officer said.
In Trans Nzoia County, the quiet of Sikoreria village in Maridadi was shattered after Hellen Amukope, 38, was found dead in her bedroom. Police say her husband struck her on the forehead with a hammer before stabbing her. He fled moments before officers arrived, leaving stunned neighbors and traumatized children behind. “They had disagreements like any other couple, but no one expected it to end this way,” said one villager. The manhunt for the suspect is ongoing.
In Suba South, Homa Bay, another family confrontation ended in bloodshed. Esther Achieng, 28, was attacked and killed by her brother-in-law in Ongayo E village after he accused her of stealing money. Witnesses say he used a club during the confrontation. Police later arrested the suspect, who is expected in court on murder charges.
Meanwhile, in Nyamira County, 30-year-old Duncan Odhiambo succumbed to injuries two weeks after he was ambushed on his way home in Bugo area. He sustained serious cuts on the neck and face during the September 13 attack. Though he sought treatment at a local clinic, his condition worsened, and he died on September 30. His family is now demanding answers on why the attackers remain unknown weeks after the incident.
Security officials say the killings reflect a broader pattern. Disputes over land, love, and money are increasingly turning violent, with family members and close relatives often the perpetrators. “These are no longer isolated cases. We are seeing a trend that must be addressed both socially and legally,” said a criminologist who tracks crime patterns in the region.
Local leaders are urging communities to embrace mediation and counseling before conflicts escalate. Churches and civil society groups, too, are calling for stronger government focus on domestic violence prevention and mental health support, warning that silence and inaction will only fuel the cycle of bloodshed.
For the bereaved families, however, solutions may be too late. They are left nursing grief, demanding justice, and asking the same haunting question: why must disagreements in our homes end in death?
