Sharon Otieno's first death anniversary: Family calls for justice

Ms Melida Auma, Sharon Otieno's mother, speaks during an event to mark the death first anniversary of her daughter. GEORGE ODIWUOR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Only close members of the family, a few friends and neighbours were in attendance.
  • During the anniversary event, Sharon’s three children unaware of what was going on kept close to their grandparents, just in their own world enjoying the cuddling by their caretakers.
  • The youngest, a girl, is now slightly over two years, while the second born is aged 4 and the first born, 5.

It is exactly one year since the death of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno.

Her macabre killing shook the nation and for one month, attracted a lot of attention.

One year on, the heat that her killing generated seems to have dissipated. This was evident yesterday during the first anniversary of her killing.

However, though the killing is no longer headline news, for family members the pain is still fresh.

The low-key function at the family’s Magare home in Homa Bay county. was a manifestation of how quickly the nation had forgotten the gruesome murder.

Only close members of the family, a few friends and neighbours were in attendance. No politician turned up. Only close relatives grieved publicly.

Mr Douglas Otieno and his wife Melida Auma, Sharon’s parents, were besides themselves with grief.

As the commemoration went on, tears flowed freely down Mrs Auma’s face, her anguish over her daughter’s killing still evident.

Sharon Otieno's mother joins Rogo University students in a song during an event to mark the first anniversary since the death of her daughter. GEORGE ODIWUOR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The ceremony began with a march by friends and relatives around the compound in honour of Sharon. The group donned black T-shirts with Sharon’s photo and the inscription: “Justice for Sharon”.

“All we want is justice for our daughter. The event today was simply to call for justice for Sharon,” said Ms Auma.

The parents pleaded with the judiciary to hasten the ongoing case in Nairobi, in which Migori Governor Okoth Obado and two others face murer charges.

They exuded confidence that the courts will ensure justice for the daughter.

Melida Auma and Douglas Otieno, Sharon Otieno's parents, at their home in Magare, Homa Bay during an event to mark the first anniversary since the death of their daughter. GEORGE ODIWUOR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Ms Auma said she has forgiven her daughter’s killers, but they must carry their own burden.

Sharon was a Rongo University student and was stabbed eight times while seven months pregnant. A postmortem report indicated that the fatal blow to the baby was a single knife stab through the 26 year-old’s abdomen.

Governor Obado was charged with Sharon’s murder and is out on a Sh5 million bond. His co-accused are Mr Michael Oyamo and Mr Caspal Obiero.

During the anniversary event, Sharon’s three children unaware of what was going on kept close to their grandparents, just in their own world enjoying the cuddling by their caretakers.

The youngest, a girl, is now slightly over two years, while the second born is aged 4 and the first born, 5.