It’s darkness all around my sweet darling – Ivy's mum

I wish you did not have to go so soon my sweet darling, were the heartbreaking words of Ivy Wangechi's mother to her slain daughter on Thursday.

“We love you even in death,” Winfred King’ori said. “Ivy, it’s all darkness around. I do not know where the next step leads me.”

Ivy was buried in Mahiga, Nyeri county. The former Moi University student was hacked to death by a spurned man last Tuesday. 

Thousands of people, among them the Moi University fraternity, attended the burial.

Her sister Cheryl Nyaruai was overcome with grief and had to be assisted by a relative to read her tribute.

The 24-year-old was the firstborn in a family of three, two daughters and a son. She was to celebrate her birthday on April 10, a day before she met her cruel death.

King’ori said the daughter had big dreams for her family and longed to finish school so she could be there for them.

“We take courage because we know God has a different way of fulfilling your wishes,” she said.

Cheryl said, “I never thought I’d ever lose you and it still remains unreal. I don’t think I am ready for it.”

“I don’t have the rest of my life with you but I am grateful for the years we shared. They’ll forever be part of me. I love you and will forever miss you.”

Her brother Elvis Wainaina said, “Ivy, my dearest sister, I will miss many things about you like: your smile, voice and also your looks. This is my last goodbye as you rest in peace and letting you know that you will always be my big sister and you will always be in my heart forever.”

Dr Julia Songok, the head of Department of Child Health and Paediatrics at Moi University, described Ivy as a hard-working student. Ivy had been in university for seven years. 

Songok said Ivy was a team player and a student who never gave the university any disciplinary problems.

“She has never given us any reason to doubt her studies and we have come here as a proud team to say the seven years was not a short time, it was a wonderful time,” she said.

John Ayieko, the dean of students who represented vice chancellor Isaac Kosgey, said though there have been other deaths at the university, they have never seen one like Ivy's.

The dean said he had lost a very bright student who never sat supplementary exams like most School of Medicine students. Ayieko said out of the 50 or 60 students, only 30 or 40 sail through.

“I do not know what Ivy was going to be, but God knows. It pains. It is said God takes the best,” he said.

Ayieko described Ivy as a very promising student who could have been one of the finest doctors in Kenya.

Jinalo Fidel, a student leader representative at the college of health sciences, said Ivy's death was a direct loss to him as a leader.

He said it was the saddest day when he was called and told one of his colleagues had been killed with an axe.

“I couldn’t understand the kind of generation that we are living in. How merciless people have become,” Fidele said.

“I couldn’t understand but I know the pain that happened that day still resonates till today and I know it will not end soon but I can tell the family that we can leave everything to God.”

Timothy Kemboi, the chairperson of Moi University Governing Council, said the murder hurt the university fraternity and the student body is still in mourning.

Ian Kipkemboi, the secretary general of Moi University student body, said it pained him to see Ivy's body in the casket.

“But we are here to support you as a family, to pray for you and take you through this long journey. We have lost a great person,” he said.

“I urge the students’ leaders present, political leaders and all the comrades present that let us unite in this because currently, our society is going through a lot.” 

He said another murder had been committed at Pwani University and called on every Kenyan to pray for the country and support each other.

Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya