Atwech, the girl who never got to celebrate graduation with family

John Akelo Nyainda, father of the slain Kenyatta University graduate who was killed in cold blood by her boyfriend in his house at Kahawa Estate in Nairobi on Monday. (PHOTO: SCOPHINE OTIENO/ STANDARD)

When Edinald Atieno graduated from Kenyatta University two weeks ago, her family in Ngege village started preparing for her homecoming.

But preparations for a feast turned into burial arrangements after Ms Atieno was stabbed to death by her boyfriend of four years in Kahawa Wendani, Kiambu County, on Monday. 

Her father, John Akelo, said Atwech (which means "the fashion conscious"), as she was commonly referred to in the village, was preparing to celebrate her acquisition of a degree in public health with her family.

"She was the youngest and the brightest among my four children since her primary school days. She was the hope of this family. She has left a big gap in this family. I wanted a bright future for my daughter and saw to it that she lacked nothing in school," Mr Akelo said.

He said Atwech had always treasured education and wanted to go to university, and she had worked hard to achieved this. She did her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations at Ng'iya Girls Secondary School in Siaya County and score a B-plus.

Akelo said he paid the full fees for his last born's first and second years in Kenyatta University before his son told him that Atwech had received the first installment of his loan from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb).

"All I heard from her older brother after her death was that she once moved in with him when she could not find a hostel inside the university. She had also tried applying for the Helb loan but her application did not go through until her third year," he explained.

The family is yet to come to terms with Atwech's death.

Social media had been awash with claims that her killer, a former military man, killed her because she was planning to end the relationship after he had paid her university fees. But her family dismissed the claims, saying the story was meant to brainwash the public.

"I have struggled to educate my children, especially my last born (Atwech) throughout her education - all through primary to the university," Akello added.

Twenty-two-year-old Edinald started school at Ngege Primary School where she scored 384 marks in her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education final exams. "How could he pay school fees when she was a regular student?" he said.

BEAUTIFUL GIRL

Atwech's grandmother, Christabel Nyainda, said they were anxiously waiting for her homecoming before they got the heartbreaking news.

"She was a loving, caring and beautiful girl, hence the nickname Atwech," her grandmother said.

Her uncle, Fredrick Nyainda, a bishop, urged the youth to respect the teachings of Jesus Christ and live by them.

Akello lives with his second wife after he and Atwech's mother separated three years ago. He was in constant touch with his daughter until her death.

"She used to come home to visit her grandmother whenever she got the chance during school holidays. We loved her," he said.