This archive report was first published on 25 August 2021.
Kenya is grappling with a disturbing trend of domestic violence, with lovers turning against each other in shocking acts of brutality.
According to the National Crime Research Centre, a public body formed to research the causes of crime in Kenya and its prevention, crime is a consequence of multiple factors, including personal choices, unemployment, poverty, drugs, and stress.
One such case unfolded in August when Kiambu-based businessman Jonathan Mukundi Gachunga and his wife Philomena Njeri were found dead in their living room. Police suspect the businessman shot his wife then turned the gun on himself.
Just a few months prior, in April, a GSU police officer and his traffic police wife were found dead in their living room in Nairobi. Following investigations, Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai said the GSU officer, Hudson Wakise, shot and killed his wife, Pauline Wakasa, before shooting himself.
Another gruesome case emerged in January when a man was arrested for the death of a woman in Nairobi's Mwiki area. The woman was killed in her house, the body tied onto her bed and set alight. Neighbours discovered the woman's body as they tried putting out what they thought was an accidental fire.
Even more shocking was the case of former high school principal Jane Muthoni, who was convicted in May for the 2016 killing of her husband, Solomon Mbuthi. The court heard that Muthoni hired assassins because she suspected him of having an extra-marital affair.
