Some 500 Kenyan women were murdered between 2017 and 2024, according to an estimate by investigative platforms Africa Uncensored and Africa Data Hub.

Femicides are on the increase in Kenya, and below are cases that shocked Kenya.

1. Sharon Otieno

Sharon who was at the time of her death a student at Rongo University was found murdered near Kodera Forest on September 5, 2018. At the time she was heavily pregnant.

She was alleged to have been in an affair with a prominent Kenyan politician.

Her case is still in court.

2. Ivy Wangechi

Wangechi was hacked to death outside the Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret on April 9, 2019.

The suspect Naftali Kinuthia during a court session confessed that the axe he used had been in his car for over a year and he had bought it for his security because of worked at night many times.

In October 2023, Naftali was handed a Forty-year jail sentence for killing Ivy.

3. Rita Waeni

In a killing that shocked the country, the dismembered remains of Rita Waeni, 20, were discovered in rubbish bags at a rental apartment in the capital, Nairobi, on 14 January. Her head was missing, along with her phone and other personal items.

Her head was later recovered in Kiambaa Dam, Kiambu.

4. Agnes Syombua

Joyce Syombua and her two kids disappeared after allegedly visiting her estranged husband Major Peter Mugure at the Nanyuki military airbase.

Their bodies were later found buried in shallow graves.

 Syombua died from injuries on her head and brain inflicted by a blunt object while her two children were strangled with a rope to death, postmortem conducted on their bodies has revealed.

In August 2023, Syombua's estranged husband was awarded Sh2 million in damages for unlawful sacking from the Kenya Defence Forces. 

He is still in detention as of 2024 awaiting the case to proceed.

His kids were Shanice Mugure Mwaura, alias Shanice Maua, 10, and Peter Mwaura Junior, alias Prince Michael, 5.

5. Starlet Wahu

Wahu was murdered in a rental apartment in South B by a man now identified as John Matara on 6th January 2024.

In CCTV videos released by the police Wahu was seen walking with Matara toward their room Y32 in Papino apartments South B but was never seen leaving.

Two condoms, one used and one unused were also discovered at the scene. Also discovered was an HIV test kit that read Negative and a knife assumed to be the murder weapon.

Matara was arrested in connection to the murder as a suspect.

Appearing before Magistrate Charles Mwaniki, John Matara was charged with rape and robbery with violence before Ruiru Law Courts.

He was accused of committing the offenses on May 16, 2023.

6. Racheal Kanini

Socialite Racheal Kanini and her Nigerian Boyfriend were found murdered and their bodies badly burnt in Kamulu area in Nairobi in July 2023.

The two were tortured and murdered and their car burnt.

They were kidnapped on Sunday, June 25, and later killed elsewhere before the bodies were taken to the area where they were found burnt. 

7. Carol Ngumbu

Carol was murdered alongside the late IEBC boss Chris Msando 6 years ago.

The body of Carol was almost a kilometer away from that of Msando in Muguga forest, Kiambu County.

Some family members of Msando said they knew her.

According to the police, The duo seems to have been hijacked from the city center and driven around before they were murdered and their naked bodies dumped in Kikuyu.

Msando’s car was found in Roysambu, about 40 kilometers away from where the bodies were.

8. Monica Kimani

Monica Kimani a businesswoman died on September 20, 2018.

Monica’s body was found at her Lamuria Gardens Apartment on Kitale Lane off Denis Pritt Road in Kilimani.

The High Court on Wednesday, March 13 sentenced Jowie to death for the 2018 murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani.

Monica was brutally murdered in her Nairobi residence at Lamuria Gardens, in Kilimani.

However, Jowie has filed a notice of appeal against his conviction and death sentence over the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani.

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