This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
On Sunday, July 5, 2020, a devastating tragedy unfolded in Luyekhe village, situated on the border of Kakamega and Bungoma counties. Winny Kulangwa, a 24-year-old mother, took her three children to the banks of River Nzoia, where she threw them into the water, one by one, before following suit.
The eldest child, a seven-year-old girl, miraculously survived the ordeal. She was later found by a resident, Joseph Chom, who took her to his home. The girl explained to Chom what had happened, and he immediately called his village elder and area chief before reporting the matter to the police.
Rescue efforts were launched, but the swollen river made it challenging to retrieve the bodies of Kulangwa and her two children, aged one and four. Villagers joined divers deployed by Kakamega County to search for the bodies, but by the evening of July 5, 2020, they had yet to be found.
According to Kulangwa's relatives, she had returned to Luyekhe a week ago from her matrimonial home in Mautuma, Kakamega, and showed no signs of being disturbed. However, the girl who survived the tragedy described her mother's actions as a 'surprise' that turned out to be a nightmare.
As the community grapples with the shock of this tragic event, questions arise about the circumstances that led to Kulangwa's actions. Her grandfather, Moina Omutoko, 73, expressed surprise at the news, stating that she never complained about anything.
