KENYAN police have detained a 29-year-old man found carrying the mutilated body of his wife in a backpack, a case that highlights the nation’s alarming femicide crisis.
John Kiama Wambua was apprehended during a routine police patrol in Huruma, an eastern district of Nairobi, just before dawn. Officers, suspicious of Wambua’s behaviour, searched his backpack and discovered dismembered body parts, the BBC reported. According to a statement from Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the discovery left the officers ‘shocked.”
Grisly discovery
Upon interrogation, Wambua claimed the body parts belonged to his 19-year-old wife, Joy Fridah Munani. The DCI reported that Wambua appeared ‘unperturbed’ by the gruesome discovery.
Following his arrest, police were led to Wambua’s home, where they found further evidence, including a bloodied knife, clothing, and additional body parts hidden under a bed. Authorities described the act as ‘heinous’ and confirmed that the suspect will face murder charges in an upcoming court hearing.
A growing femicide crisis
This incident is not an isolated case. Kenya continues to grapple with one of Africa’s highest femicide rates. Between August and October 2024, at least 97 women were murdered, according to Kenya’s National Police Service.
Protests against the surge in femicides have grown in recent months. In December, hundreds of women marched in Nairobi to demand action, but the peaceful demonstrations were reportedly met with teargas.
High-profile cases of femicide
Kenya has witnessed several high-profile femicides that have drawn international attention.
- Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei was doused in petrol and set alight by her former partner in September 2024. She succumbed to her injuries days later.
- Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, described by police as a ‘serial killer,’ was arrested in July 2024 after nine mutilated female bodies were discovered in a quarry. Khalusha escaped custody a month later and remains at large.
- Earlier in 2024, Rita Waeni, a young woman, was brutally murdered in a rental apartment. Her dismembered body was found stuffed into a plastic bag, a case that sparked nationwide outrage.
Call for action
The DCI has vowed to deliver justice for Munani while acknowledging the broader challenge of addressing gender-based violence. Advocacy groups and citizens continue to call for stricter laws, better enforcement, and increased support for victims.
As the country confronts this crisis, cases like Munani’s serve as stark reminders of the urgent need to address femicide and protect women in Kenya.
