Murang'a elderly women in fear after granny, 92, raped and murdered

@Alicewangechi

Tension is rife in Kiandugira village, Kigumo subcounty, in Murang’a county after a 92-year-old woman was raped and murdered.

Mary Njeri Kihato disappeared on September 30 from her farm only for her body to be found dumped in a thicket a few metres away from her home three days later.

Agnes Njoki, a neighbour and niece, said Njeri was farming with her co-wife who left her in the shamba to go prepare lunch. But Njeri never came home for lunch and went missing.

After looking for her in vain, her family reported the disappearance to the chief on October 2, the same day her body was found.

Njoki said when they found her body, they realised that she had been raped, had cuts on her hands and her eyes seemed like they had been pressed.

She said they are now living in fear as they do not know who committed the heinous offence and the motive behind it. The villagers are ensuring they are indoors before dusk.

Njoki appealed to security officers to rein in those peddling bhang and other drugs to youths in the village, saying they could be behind Njeri's murder.

“If they could mercilessly do that to a 92-year-old who could not even fight back, what can they do to someone who has a little strength left?” Njoki, also a granny, posed.

During Njeri’s burial on Tuesday, residents said they were shocked by her death, adding that they never imagined such a thing could happen in their area.

Gikarangu senior chief David Ng’ang’a Kamau said once Njeri's family reported her disappearance, he immediately made a missing person report only to receive a call from the Nyumba Kumi team that they had found her body.

“I visited the scene and informed police officers who secured it. It was very sad. It was a never before seen incident in this village. Whoever did it, know that God’s eyes do not falter and you will be found,” he said.

Njeri, the senior chief told mourners, lived peacefully with those around her and would navigate the uneven terrain to attend church every Sunday with the help of a walking stick.

She did not have a child but lived peacefully with her co-wife and members of the community. Her iron sheet walled house stands just a few yards from her co-wife’s house.

Ng’ang’a said when the government started the cash transfer programme that benefits the elderly, disabled and orphaned, she was the first person he registered.

“She could not have been able to walk by herself up the hill to the thicket where she was found,” the senior chief said.

Ng’ang’a said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations had taken up the matter and investigations were underway.

He appealed to residents to volunteer any information that could lead to the arrest of the culprits to return normalcy to the village and ensure justice is served.

MP Joseph Munyoro said crime has continued to affect the lives of his constituents and urged security agencies to help end the menace.

He said a man was murdered by his farm hand last month but the case has yet to take off despite the fact that the suspect’s whereabouts are known.

The MP, who attended Njeri’s burial, condemned the murder, terming it shameful and challenged security agents to expedite investigations.

“The DCI needs to hastily arrest the culprits and deter similar offences because that is why they are there. These people want to see the people responsible for the inhumane acts held accountable,” Munyoro said.

The legislator said he had reached out to the DCI to express his dissatisfaction with the way criminal cases were being handled.

Woman Representative Betty Maina said the granny’s murder has left elderly women in fear and asked that the community and security agents work together to stop consumption of bhang and drugs in the area.

“We grew up knowing that elderly people needed our support. What happened that instead of protecting them now we are harming them?” she wondered.

She said it is the role of security officers to serve Kenyans appropriately and ensure they have security to be able to live normally.

“People woke up early to vote for us and we have to ask questions on their behalf and I am asking our youth, if you don’t fear the police, at least fear God. Don’t subject others to such things,” she said.

Edited by A.N