A silent farewell: Grieving mother reflects on final talk with murdered daughter
Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor on Tuesday announced the post-mortem results, revealing that Kemunto died from strangulation, confirming initial suspicion of foul play.
In the small room in Kawangware, a grieving mother struggles to hold back tears as she recalls the last moment she spoke to her daughter.
"I knew she would return... but now she won't," Trizza Kwamboka sobbed as she struggled to come to terms with the loss of her daughter, Sylvia Kemunto, whose life was tragically cut short.
More To Read
- Human rights group demands Cheptumo’s removal as Gender CS, cites harmful views on femicide
- Wendot apologises for controversial remarks, calls for femicide to be criminalised
- Human rights experts slam Kenya's silence on femicide, term it state betrayal
- Over 100 women killed in first three months of 2025 – police say
Kemunto, a first-year student at Multimedia University, had been commuting to school from their home in Kawangware due to safety concerns.
She feared for her life after reporting receiving threats from a fellow student, Eric Mutinda, who had made advances on her. Kemunto, a disciplined young woman, rejected his advances, which triggered a violent confrontation that ultimately led to her death.
Kwamboka described her daughter as a hardworking and disciplined individual who had been juggling her studies and twin siblings as they lived in a modest single-room house.
"She was a very disciplined girl," Kwamboka explained, her voice trembling with emotion. "I have struggled raising her and her twin siblings as a single mother."
Kemunto had left home on Friday, March 28, excited to attend exams at the university. She had planned to return home the following week after packing her belongings.
However, as Kwamboka would later learn, Kemunto would never make it home again.
Pocket money
The last time Kwamboka spoke to Kemunto was around midday on Sunday, March 30, when a church elder sent her daughter money for pocket expenses.
Kwamboka had advised her Kemunto not to return the cash if the number appeared suspicious, as her daughter was known for her discipline.
During that conversation, Kemunto did not mention any concerns or distress.
By 2 pm, her phone was off, and when her mother called again at 5 pm, there was still no answer.
A sense of dread began to overwhelm her. Kemunto had never ignored her calls, and something felt terribly wrong.
In a panic, the mother contacted a security guard at Multimedia University, but on checking, Kemunto was not in her room.
The university staff confirmed that her roommate had left for church and found the room empty upon returning. The silence and lack of information left Kwamboka helpless, but she held on to hope.
Determined to find her daughter, she travelled to the university the following day, Monday, March 31.
She reported her daughter missing at the Lang'ata Police Station and anxiously returned home that evening, unable to sleep. Around 1 am, she made another desperate call to Kemunto's phone. The line was on, but no one answered.
The following morning, on Tuesday, April 1, Kwamboka returned to the university in search of her daughter, but the offices were closed since it was a public holiday.
As she sat at the gate, hoping for any news, a call came through to her house that would shatter her world forever.
A body had been found in a water tank at the university. When Kwamboka arrived at the scene, she could hardly believe it was her daughter lying lifeless in the tank.
"My world was shattered. I couldn’t believe it. I had all along been hoping that my daughter would be found alive," she said, tears streaming down her face.
Confrontation with Mutinda
Investigations later revealed that Mutinda had confronted Kemunto in her hostel room.
The two first-year students were alone in the room when a confrontation occurred. Kemunto reportedly hit her head on the wall during the struggle, and she collapsed.
Mutinda, realising she had died, placed her body in a suitcase and dumped it in the rooftop water tank. He fled the scene but later surrendered to police in his home county of Makueni on Thursday, April 4.
Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor on Tuesday announced the post-mortem results, revealing that Kemunto died from strangulation, confirming initial suspicion of foul play.
According to Oduor, there were defensive wounds on her body, indicating a possible struggle with her assailant, who is believed to have overpowered her.
Mutinda, the main suspect, appeared in court on Monday, and the state requested a 21-day detention for further investigation into the incident.
Kemunto’s death has left her family shattered, and they are now left to fight for justice.
Kwamboka continues to struggle with the emotional burden, but she is determined to seek the truth behind her daughter’s tragic death.
Top Stories Today
