From left: Vivian Kajaya, Eileen Cherotich, Seth Nyakio and Rita Waeni.
The murder of Kirinyaga politician Lucy Njeri’s daughter in Biafra, Thika, has shone a spotlight on the recent spate of killings involving young university students across the country.
The alarming frequency of brutal killings, particularly targeting female students, has raised urgent concerns about safety on campuses.
The series of murders has provoked outrage and demands for immediate action from authorities to enhance security measures and protect students.
Criminologist Stephen Amimo says many universities have increasingly become dens of crime with students becoming easy targets.
Mr Amimo told Nation.Africa that students, especially females, are also vulnerable to crimes of passion by fellow students or outsiders.
“Many female students fall victims to such crimes as many do not have psychological support to identify red flags at an advanced stage, which later graduate to violence and later murder,” he said while insisting some crimes could be isolated as general criminality.
Mr Amimo said many students on campus are in their experimental phases in life and could be involved in criminal behaviour as well.
“Some get into relationships with high expectations and when it is not met, they resort to violence. Universities should introduce supportive services, including counselling where they can have a safe space to open up and also introduce awareness programmes to students and teach them how they can protect themselves,” he said.
The murder of Ms Njeri’s daughter, Seth Nyakio, 23, has ignited fears among students and parents alike, highlighting the vulnerable environment in which these young individuals are navigating their academic journeys.
Kirinyaga Nominated MCA Ms Lucy Njeri (right) with her daughter Seth Nyakio (now deceased).
Seth, who had recently graduated from a tertiary college in Thika, was in the process of job hunting before her life was cut short.
Seth was found dead in a rented room in Thika two days after she left home to visit a friend. The circumstances of her death, marked by signs of struggle and indications of sexual assault, reflect a chilling pattern that has emerged in recent months.
Thika West sub-County police boss Laurence Muchangi said investigations are ongoing. They have recorded statements from the friend who discovered the body and are currently pursuing a male suspect.
Just weeks before Seth’s death, a woman’s body was discovered dumped in a maize plantation in Kiamunyi Estate, Rongai sub-County, Nakuru.
The victim was identified as Vivian Kajaya, a third-year student at Mount Kenya University in Thika, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Administration.
Her body was found with a bus receipt showing she had boarded a matatu from Thika to Nakuru on October 12, the same day Seth left home.
Vivian Kajaya, the 22-year-old student at Mt Kenya University whose body was found dumped in a maize plantation in Kiamunyi, Nakuru County on October 15, 2024.
Preliminary investigations into Vivian's case according to Rongai sub-County Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Donnata Otieno revealed that she had also been a victim of murder and rape.
Her body was moved to Nakuru City mortuary and police are yet to make progress in the matter with no arrests made so far.
On July 14, another university murder victim emerged.
Eileen Cherotich, a 22-year-old student from the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology, was also found dead near the Eveready roundabout along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
Reports indicated that she had been returning home from a night out when a heated argument allegedly ensued with her boyfriend, which led to her being thrown from a moving vehicle.
A post-mortem report revealed that she died from a severe head injury after landing on her head according to the government pathologist Dr Titus Ngulungu.
According to Nakuru West sub-County DCI Charles Kamau, two suspects who were with the deceased were arrested and the investigations are ongoing.
The incidents continue to unfold, including that of Mercy Kwamboka, a 20-year-old student at the University of Nairobi.
Mercy Kwamboka, the University of Nairobi student whose body was discovered in a thicket in Mwiki.
After stepping out of her house at 11 pm to receive a phone call, her body was discovered on September 28 in a thicket, mutilated and with acid burns on her hands.
Her family’s grief was compounded by the horrific way she might have met her death in the hands of her attackers before her body was found.
An autopsy report revealed that she had broken legs, bruises on her gum and burnt hands.
Police said that they are investigating a murder, rape, kidnap and robbery incident.
In another shocking case, Rita Waeni, a 20-year-old student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) was found decapitated and stuffed in a paper bag at a rental apartment in Nairobi’s Roysambu area on January 14.
The gruesome discovery followed a series of ransom demands sent from her phone to her family, prompting police to investigate her disappearance.
The late Rita Waeni.
Two suspects, identified as Nigerian nationals, were arrested in connection with the murder but later released due to insufficient evidence.
Government chief Pathologist Johansen Oduor revealed that Ms Waeni was strangled to death and decapitated before her body parts were dumped.
Speaking after conducting a post-mortem examination at the city mortuary on the head said that the main findings were that the head had been chopped off from the neck at the level of C5 (vertebrae on the neck).
The unsettling trend of violence against female students has ignited fear and outrage on university campuses prompting calls for immediate government intervention.
Students are demanding action to enhance safety and accountability, urging authorities to address the issues plaguing their communities.
“Murders targeting women have been on the rise for the past year, and this issue needs urgent attention. Parents must educate and advise their children, as many female students become victims due to financial constraints stemming from humble backgrounds,” said Mercy Awuor, a second-year student at Masinde Muliro University.
Gerald Kihenja, another student, echoed these sentiments, urging the government to adopt a comprehensive strategy to beef up campus security.
“We must encourage a culture of safety, empowering students to participate in safety initiatives. Prioritizing student safety is essential to ensure our campuses remain secure environments for learning,” he said.
On October 20, 2023, a first-year student at Pwani University Faith Adongo was stabbed multiple times while heading home after a fresher's night event. She succumbed to her injuries at to Kilifi District Hospital.
She was pursuing a bachelor of arts in literature.
In September last year, 18-year-old Mercy Cherono, a student at Daystar, died mysteriously four days after she was admitted to campus to pursue a course in nursing.
