University student Rita Waeni who was murdered and her body dismembered has been buried in a private family ceremony in Makueni County.
In a statement, Waeni’s family has said,
“This morning, Waeni”s body was laid to rest at a private ceremony attended only by her family. The funeral service and burial took place at her parents’ home in Mukimwaani Village, Makueni County. We know that many people have understood the depth of this loss and therefore decision for privacy at this event.”
The family has called on the government to conduct thorough investigations to ensure justice for Waeni.
The body of the 20-year-old was found on January 14, 2024, in Roysambu without the head, and government investigations later found it in a dam in Kiambaa, Kiambu County.
Investigations into Waeni’s murder
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) took over investigations into Rita Waeni’s murder. Two Nigerian men were arrested following Waeni’s murder, which caused an uproar among Kenyans.
Speaking on the young woman’s gruesome murder, Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor told the press that he ‘had never seen something like that in his career’. Waeni was strangled to death before her body was dismembered.
Demonstrations against femicide in Kenya
On January 27 this year, Kenyans (men and women) in various parts of the country took to the streets to protest against the increased cases of femicide in the country.
The femicide cases in 2024 started with Starlet Wahu, who was found murdered in an Airbnb apartment in Nairobi in early January. A CCTV footage showed her with the suspected killer John Matara, who was traced and arrested for her murder.
Wahu’s and Waeni’s murders hit headlines but several other women were also killed last month by men they knew, raising concerns about the trend of men killing women in the nation.
What has the government done about the increased femicide cases?
During the protests against femicide, Nairobi Women Representative asked President William Ruto to speak on the menace.
The government also directed owners of Airbnbs and other short-term rental accommodations to have their premises registered before today, February 5, adding that inspections would follow after that to ensure compliance and the safety of dwellers in those premises.
It remains to be seen whether the efforts will lower the cases of women being murdered in the country.
Discussion about this post