Former running mate’s mother killed

By KATHURE MUKURU

Meru County: A village in Igembe South Sub-County has been sent into mourning after a farmhand allegedly strangled his elderly employer.

The victim, who is the mother to Winnie Kaburu, the former running mate to presidential candidate Prof James ole Kiyiapi, was strangled with a rope.

Julia Kaburu, 84, was in her house on Wednesday evening when the farmhand, who was barely four days old in the employment, attacked.

Police and family sources said the assailant locked himself and the woman inside the house before killing the woman.

He is said to have left the house through the back door. The woman’s son went to check on her after he realised the house was locked and his mother was not responding to his calls.

Still missing

Igembe South OCPD Patrick Mbarire said the son, identified as Mugambi, sounded the alarm. “They broke the door and that is when they found the woman’s body on a seat,” said Mr Mbarire.

According to Mbarire, police are holding a housegirl and another farmhand for questioning over the murder. But the assailant reportedly escaped immediately after the murder and police are hunting him down.

The suspect is said to be a middle-aged man who hails from Nyeri.

“We have alerted neighbouring police stations and we are asking the public to help us arrest the suspect who is still missing,” he said.

Her daughter expressed shock at the news, which she received on arrival in Nairobi from Israel. She denied claims on the social media that the murder was politically instigated.

She said her mother had informed her of differences with the worker after he demanded a salary increment, despite having worked for only four days.