Joyce Syombua and her children Shanice Maua and Prince Michaela allegedly killed in Nanyuki by her estranged KDF husband Peter Mugure were buried in Kitui on Saturday.

Mother and children were interred in an emotional funeral at Kyaithani village in Kitui Rural sub county.

Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu advised married couples to not to resort to killing their partner whenever their union hit the rocks.

“If married couples become incompatible, neither of the parties should lay their hands on the other to commit murder. They should peacefully part ways amicably,” said Ngilu in a message delivered by her chief of staff Chrispus Ileli.

Ngilu said even after separation the man has a moral and inherent responsibility to take care of children he sired with his estranged partner.

She said there was not point for men to wait for courts to enforce the God-given responsibility to take care of their biological children.

Mourners who spoke condemned the barbaric killing of Syombua and her children, pointing to fast fading moral values among Kenyans.

Chief Gregory Mutua urged the justice system to act expeditiously to ensure justice is served.

“Besides ensuring that the bereaved family gets justice and closure for the killings, the government should explore the possibility of compensating the family if it is established that the perpetuators are people serving in government,” Mutua said.

The bodies of Syombua and her daughter Maua, 10, and son Micheal, 5, were on November 16 found buried in a shallow grave at Thingithu estate in Nanyuki, three weeks after they were reported missing.

They had arrived at Laikipia Barracks on October 25 and stayed with Major Mugure, Syombua's alleged estranged husband, who was attached to the Laikipia Airbase in Nanyuki.

Postmortem analysis of the bodies showed that Syombua died as a result of multiple blows to the head while her children were strangled.

Major Mugure, the prime suspect in the murder case, has since been arrested and remanded alongside Collins Pamba and Peter Maina Mwangi pending conclusion of the police investigation.