This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
A 22-year-old student at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) in Kakamega County was found dead in her rented house in Lurambi on August 7, 2019.
Belinda Akeyo Achieng, a Fourth Year Bachelor of Education student, was discovered lying lifeless with blood oozing from her mouth and private parts.
Her body was taken to Kakamega County Referral Hospital morgue for further examination.
Investigations into the suspected murder have begun, according to Kakamega Central OCPD, David Kabena.
Just a few months prior, another student was found dumped near a timber yard at Lurambi estate in Kakamega town.
The body of the fourth-year student had visible head injuries, said Kakamega South police boss Joseph Chebii.
‘We suspect our colleague was bludgeoned to death by his attackers. We managed to identify him because of the clothes he was wearing when he left the house,’ said Clifton Kisera, chairman of the Masinde Muliro University Student Organisation (Mmuso).
Students have become easy targets for criminals who waylay them near their private hostels or as they walk home at night, Mr Kisera added.
However, the police blamed the students for exposing themselves to criminals by loitering at night, despite Kakamega town aspiring to be a 24-hour economy.
Earlier this year, Sydney Ogeto Ndege, a 21-year-old fourth-year student taking Environmental Science, met his untimely death barely five days after sitting for his last paper.
His door remained closed for three days until an awful smell emanated from his rented house at Kefinco, where students found his lifeless body lying on the bed.
‘We don’t know what killed him so far,’ said Mr Lumala, a student leader.
He also expressed concern over the worrying trend at the university, with a high rate of students dying under mysterious circumstances.
‘We are shocked at the rate at which we are losing students at Mmust. This week alone, we have lost three students under mysterious circumstances. This brings the total number of deaths for students, teaching and non-teaching staff to 15 who have died in the last six months,’ said Mr Lumala.
