5 red flags that Joyce Syombua ignored that might have saved her life

Piece by: Peninah Njoki
Lifestyle

The murder of Joyce Syombua and her two kids by her estranged husband Major Peter Mugure has shocked Kenyans after their bodies were discovered days ago.

The three went missing on October 26 after visiting Mugure, who had invited them to his residence in Nanyuki Barracks.

Listening to the story there are things we feel might have saved Syombua and her kids. Please note, we are not victim shaming, we are trying to point out that we should not ignore our gut feelings when we are put in impossible situations.

1. Her mother had warned her against going to Nanyuki.

If Syombua had listened to her mother's advise not to go to Nanyuki and meet her husband she would still be alive.

Syombua had been ordered by the courts not to deny Peter access to the kids and when he said he wanted the kids she had to oblige.

Granted, she had to control over a court order, we can only hope that the same court that led her to her death will help her get justice for her death and her family. May she rest in peace.

2. She and her husband had a strained relationship.

It has been stated that Syombua and her husband had a strained relationship and at the time of the murder they were not together.

She would have kept her distance and asked her husband to come to Nairobi and see the kids just like Syombua's mother had suggested.

Or subsequently gone with a relative or two on this suicide mission.

3. Major Mugure had tried to have their kids killed.

Another red flag that Syombua ignored is that her husband had tried to kill their kids before by giving them poison.

According to Syombua's mother, Major Peter had tried having the kids killed a day before they were to go have a DNA test carried.

4. He had denied that their son was biologically his.

Major Peter Mugure had denied that Syombua's son, Prince Michael, was not his biological son, this prompted the court to order a DNA on the child.

The DNA turned out positive proving that Shanice, 10 and Prince Michael were indeed Major Mugure's kids.

This man was always looking for excuses not to take responsibility, another red flag.

5. He had another family.

Unlike Syombua, Major Mugure had already moved on and already had another family in Nanyuki. Syombua should have taken this as a hint for her to move on as well. And take care of her family because clearly, this man did not care one bit about her or her children. Even when the court-mandated him to provide for them, Mugure saw it fit to eliminate them from the world to avoid spending a dime of them.