Family of Kenyan killed in South Africa accuses government of inaction

Enock Wamare

Enock Wamare Hosea-a Kenyan who was attacked and killed in South Africa.

Photo credit: Courtesy

The kin of a 30-year-old Kenyan who was murdered in South Africa on September 28, 2023 has accused the government of abandoning them at their hour of need.

The deceased, also known as ‘Blacky’ is said to have succumbed to stab wounds.

His  younger brother Washington Obara said that he had been rushed to a private health facility where he was pronounced dead on arrival and later moved to a public hospital mortuary.

Mr Obara however said that the Kenyan government is yet to contact them or make any follow-ups regarding their kin's death.

“The manner in which my brother died is cruel and disturbing, we are however saddened by the fact that the Kenyan embassy is yet to contact us on the same,” said Mr Obara.

Mr Obara who claimed to have been in constant communication with the deceased friends in South Africa said that his attackers are yet to be arrested.

He said that their efforts to contact the Kenyan embassy  has also failed to bear any fruit.

“We need justice for my elder brother, his killers need to be arrested and this can only be possible if the Kenyan embassy takes charge,” said Mr Obara.

The family of Wamare said they had learnt about his death following calls from his South African friends.

On further interrogations, they learnt that Wamare was stabbed to death by the people he worked with in the taxi business.

Mr Obara said that his brother moved to South Africa in 2013 after winning a scholarship from Maseno University in 2013 to study in the University of Cape Town.

While there, he pursued a course in pure accounting and thereafter continued to work in the foreign country until he met his  death.

According to Mr Obara ,Wamare had assumed the position of the family breadwinner after the death of their parents back in 2009.

The first born in the family of three would pay fees for his younger brother and sister while also sending home funds to keep them going.

The deceased who is survived by his daughter is said to have ventured into business and  owned a hairdressing salon, a spa and taxi vehicle.

Mr Obara who described his brother as a hard worker, a man of few words and a go-getter claimed that they last spoke on Wednesday at 9 pm only to learn about his death at 1 am.

“He had appeared happy, we spoke about a number of things and family matters before he hung up saying he was meeting some friends,” said Mr Obara who claimed that he would normally know whenever Wamare was mad since he would click a lot.

The family is now appealing to the government to help them find out who his brother's killers are and why they wanted him dead.

They also want the government to help them ferry the body of the deceased back home for a befitting burial at their rural home in Gem, Siaya County.

“We do not have the funds required to bring his remains home, he was our sole breadwinner and until now, we are yet to kick off with his burial preparations,” said Obara who has also appealed to well wishers to come to their rescue.