Reopen cold cases and ensure the child murderers go to jail
Ms Sharon Otieno. She was abducted and killed. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Ms Keino was found on Waiyaki Way, having been run over by traffic like ordinary road kill. She was 25.
- The murder of children, for this is what these girls were, is a lot worse. And if the police do not solve any other crimes, can they at least reopen these cases and do a better job.
On June 17, 2011, Ms Mercy Keino and her cousin attended a bunga bunga party at Wasini Luxury Apartments in Westlands, Nairobi.
The party, attended by former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo, a bevy of beauties, well-heeled worthies and an army of bodyguards, ended tragically for the University of Nairobi student.
According to Magistrate Peter Ndwiga, who conducted the inquiry, Ms Keino “wandered onto a busy public road in a drunken stupor in the middle of the night and hence may have greatly contributed or may have been the author of her own misfortune”.
Apparently, Ms Keino became violent and aggressive and was escorted out of the party.
There had been claims that she was beaten up after she became unruly. Ms Keino was found on Waiyaki Way, having been run over by traffic like ordinary road kill. She was 25.
CAREEN
On Valentine’s Day 2012, somebody visited Ms Careen Chepchumba, an engineer at Kenya Power, at her apartment at Santonia Court, Kilimani. The visitor quite likely raped and strangled her.
Recently, Ms Sharon Otieno was abducted, raped and stabbed multiple times and killed. She was seven months pregnant and her unborn child suffered a fatal stab wound.
The baby is now confirmed to be that of her lover, Migori Governor Okoth Obado.
At the time of writing, none of these killings had been successfully investigated and the true position established to the satisfaction of everyone concerned. And they are not the only ones, far from it.
I have always said that Kenya is one of the safest places in the world to commit murder. You are almost guaranteed never to be caught. Impunity in our country is encoded in our national DNA.
ZIMBABWE
In 1969, somebody assassinated top politician Tom Mboya. Fifty years later, we are still wondering what happened.
In 1990, then-Foreign Affairs minister Robert Ouko shot himself in the head, broke his own leg and set himself on fire, according to some joke pathologist. To date, despite bringing on the Scotland Yard, we are still wondering what really happened.
I was talking to a friend who moved to Zimbabwe as the rest of the world, including Zimbabweans, were heading for the border exits. He told me how the country still works.
It is a tiny country but stuff works, even in its current state of collapse. Immigration will still call your host to remind them to let their visitors know that their visa was nearing expiry and they should make efforts to renew it.
And if you kill someone in Zimbabwe, my friend told me, the local cops will likely catch you.
SHARON OTIENO
Murder is abhorrent; it is the height of evil. The murder of children, for this is what these girls were, is a lot worse. And if the police do not solve any other crimes, can they at least reopen these cases and do a better job.
When I see photos of Ms Otieno, pregnant and all bubbly, the thought that flashes in my mind is: Get her a chair and an extra cushion.
I can’t begin to imagine what type of thought process arrives at the conclusion to coldbloodedly plot the murder of a kid still in her 20s, and a pregnant one at that!
Our society has created a vicious type of hell for ourselves: A place where our children are not safe, where those who harm others buy their way out, where powerful and wealthy men can do pretty much do what they please.
This comes from the same corrupt mentality that sees folks steal public wealth. We don’t believe in fairness, we don’t believe in consequences; thus, you want to be fabulously wealthy without working for it.
CORRUPT
We worship you for having stolen from us. In the same vein, you have killed someone’s daughter but you don’t believe that you should be punished for it.
You think you are superhuman because you are wealthy and powerful. So you bribe your way out of murder and you look at those demanding your punishment as pesky filth.
Now that there is a new zeal for accountability — we have no choice as a society — I’d suggest that all these murder investigations be reopened and a cold case team formed to pursue them until the murderers are found, taken to court and sent to jail.
The Sharon case offers the best opportunity to break this generational curse of impunity.
* * *
I oppose the housing levy. Like the Government Advertising Agency and the two-price posho before it, it is a hare-brained idea that will cost us a lot of money but end in tears.
The philosophy of it is dead wrong and the practical application of it is like the lipstick on the road — a sick joke.
If I did not get it wrong, I will pay a percentage of my salary to the fund, as will my employer. That money will be available to folks who want to build or buy a house.
What I don’t understand is, would that money be mine, or am I pouring it into the government Black Hole?
Why am I building a house for other folk? Can I opt out; can I say I want none of it and leave it to those who are interested in government money?
Why can’t the government take Sh50 billion from its bulging budget and give it to the banks to lend cheaply and create a revolving fund?
