Missing Taita Taveta woman found dead

A middle-aged woman who was reported missing two weeks ago has been found dead in Wundanyi.

Villagers discovered the naked body, with her legs tied with a rope and her eyes gouged out, about 50 metres from the Wundanyi Police Station.

County Commissioner Josephine Onunga noted that the county is one of the leading in gender-based violence, with 157 cases reported in the last one year.

“Suspects have gone scot-free because witnesses are not willing to testify in court. Some of the suspects are also relatives of the victims, and there is that fear of retribution,” he said. In June, a minor was defiled and murdered, and her body was dumped in a fish pond in Kese village.

A fortnight ago, 13 women legislators expressed outrage over the sexual abuse meted out against the minor and demanded immediate action.

The minor was defiled before she was murdered on June 8, and her body was dumped in the nearby fish pond at Kese village in Taita Sub County.

“We are treating the incident as femicide, and the criminal investigations department (CID) is handling the matter,” said a senior police officer aware of the incident. 

Wundanyi MP Danson Mwashako joined women leaders in condemning the incident and urged the security apparatus to get to the bottom of the incident that has shocked the county.

The opposition legislator claimed the woman was sexually abused before she was gruesomely murdered in cold blood.

“The perpetrators of the heinous act must be arrested and prosecuted,” said Mwashako.

County Commissioner Josephine Onunga noted that the county is one of the leading counties in GBV incidences and has, in the last year, reported a total of 157 cases.

The Commissioner, who is also the chairperson of the county security committee, noted that most cases involving GBV have been dismissed in court for lack of witnesses.

“Suspects have gone scot-free because witnesses are not willing to testify in court. Some of the suspects are also relatives of the victims, and there is the fear of retribution,” stated Onunga.

The administrator, Onunga, further cited cases of the rise of defilement, sodomy and incest whose culprits are members of the same family.

A fortnight ago, thirteen female legislators expressed their deepest sorrow and outrage at the sexual abuse meted out against the minor and demanded immediate action. 

The minor was defiled before she was murdered on June 8 before and her body was dumped in the nearby fish pond at Kese village in Taita Sub County.

Led by the County Woman Representative Lydia Haika, the legislators called for concerted efforts among relevant stakeholders so as to win the fight against GBV.

The women declared that they will not relent in their efforts, warning that they will ensure the country is free from the vices that form the bulk of the general crime.

“GBV cases are still prevalent in the region in spite of existing laws, policies, ongoing massive sensitisation forums and campaigns against the vice,” noted Haika.

Kwale County Woman Rep, Fatuma Masito, and her West Pokot counterpart, Florence Jematiah, wondered why some men are preying on young girls when women are readily available.

Jematiah said drug abuse was to blame for the rising cases of GBV. “Drugs have also reduced the life expectancy rate among the youth,” she noted.

“This heinous act not only robbed a child of her innocence and life, but it also left the family, the school, and the entire community in shock and mourning.

Worse still, it instils fear in parents and children alike and undermines the safety and dignity of girls in our community,” stated Haika.

“We emphasise that this is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing trend; this innocent child’s life must not end in silence. The law enforcers should act swiftly and justly to not only bring the perpetrators to book but also protect other children from similar harm,” noted another woman leader, Dorin Ngeti.

She called for the establishment of a special county task force on child protection and GBVs, including school-based safety policies.

"We believe that the judiciary and county assembly hold a moral and constitutional obligation to protect children, ensure justice and restore faith in the rule of law. The life of the little girl lost must not be in vain; her story should ignite a stronger fight against child abuse, defilement, incest and femicide in Kenya,” added Ngeti.