Murimi wa Kahalf, known for his song "Ino Ni Momo," died on June 4, 2015, after a four-month battle with a mysterious illness that doctors could not diagnose. He left behind medical bills totaling over Sh1.6 million.
According to his mother, Grace Kanuthu, wa Kahalf had been telling fellow musicians that he believed witchcraft was involved in his impending death. A day before he passed away, wa Kahalf visited witchdoctors in Igembe North, Meru County, where they performed a ritual intended to reverse his ailment.
Kanuthu recounted that her son had been receiving messages and calls from people claiming to be Meru witchdoctors, asking to meet him. Despite her initial reluctance, she eventually accompanied him to the meeting, where they met five healers who performed a ritual involving honey, a sheep, and other paraphernalia.
The ritual, which Kanuthu described as horrifying, seemed to exacerbate wa Kahalf's condition. On their way back, he began experiencing severe stomach pain, and his condition rapidly deteriorated. He died hours later at St Francis Hospital, Kasarani.
Dispute Over Circumstances Surrounding wa Kahalf's Death ¶
Wa Kahalf's mother and his second wife, Nancy Karambu, have differing accounts of the events leading up to his death. Karambu denies that wa Kahalf visited witchdoctors in Meru, stating that she does not recall such a trip. She also disputes allegations that she compelled wa Kahalf to see her father or that she was involved in any plots to harm him.
Kanuthu, on the other hand, claims that Karambu kept urging wa Kahalf to visit her father, which she believes contributed to his demise. She also alleges that there were attempts to poison wa Kahalf and his daughter, including an incident where the house help was offered Sh30,000 to carry out the poisoning.
Karambu denies these allegations, suggesting that they are an attempt to portray her negatively. She questions why the alleged poisoning was not detected in medical tests and expresses frustration with the changing narratives surrounding wa Kahalf's illness and death.
As the family continues to grapple with the circumstances surrounding wa Kahalf's passing, his mother remembers his final moments, where he urged his loved ones to live in peace and unity for the sake of his nine-year-old daughter.
