Make home safe haven

Death in the family is always a devastating occurrence that brings almost everything to a standstill, even if the person who has passed on may have had a terminal illness.

Nobody likes to lose a loved one and, for many, the pain of that separation persists for a long time. But quite horrendous is when death is caused by a close relative such as a parent, child or sibling.

The increasing incidents in which people turn against their kin and slaughter or clobber them to death are a source of grave concern.

According to police records, nearly 10 people have died in such circumstances in the first few days of this year. There could be more that have not been reported.

But the most talked-about are the gruesome Kiambu County murders of a man, his wife, his son, his nephew and their farmworker.

The outpouring of grief at their funeral, with tears freely rolling down the faces of mourners, was fuelled by the son’s confession that he butchered his family members.

The police investigation was swift and we hope justice will be similarly handed out after due process as the young man and his girlfriend have been found mentally fit to stand trial.

Home is the best place where people can find love among family and close relatives. It must be protected against predators, including close relatives who shatter the peace and quiet and inflict pain.

Murder, rape, defilement and assault continue to rock homes, which is a private space where security officers cannot easily monitor.

This calls for increased vigilance by parents and other family members and haste in reporting to the authorities, including community leaders and police, any suspicious behaviour in their children.

Experts have blamed the increasing crime wave on the social and economic difficulties arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges. A multi-faceted approach is required to curb the cases of familicide.