Gospel singer Rachel Wandeto dies after brutal attack in Mwiki

Gospel musician Rachel Wandeto at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. [Courtesy]

Gospel musician Rachel Wandeto has died while receiving treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, days after she was allegedly attacked and set ablaze by unknown assailants in Mwiki, Nairobi.

Wandeto succumbed to severe burn injuries sustained during the May 15, 2026, attack along Obama Road where she was accosted while running errands.

The news of her death was confirmed by gospel artiste and influencer Karangu Muraya, who had been appealing for support for the singer during her hospital admission.

“A great soul has rested… May your soul rest in peace Rachel Wandeto,” Muraya wrote on Facebook.

The singer attracted public attention after tattooing President William Ruto’s face and the phrase “Two Terms” on her body in a show of political support.

According to police reports, Wandeto was attacked by a group of men who allegedly accused her of benefiting financially from her political persuasion.

In a video shared online before her death, Wandeto recounted the ordeal, saying she had been approached by three men while delivering a parcel.

 “They told me that I had decided to eat Ruto’s money all by myself,” she said.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja visit gospel musician Rachel Wandeto at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. [Courtesy]

She alleged that the men dragged her to a secluded section of the road and demanded money from her before pouring a flammable substance, believed to be petrol, on her body and setting her on fire.

“They poured something on me, lit a match and ran away. I didn’t have any money on my phone at the time,” she said.

Good Samaritans rushed her to Uzima Uhai Hospital before she was referred to KNH due to the severity of her injuries.

Medical reports indicated that she sustained extensive burns on her face, arms, legs, torso and other parts of her body.

The attack sparked public outrage across the country, with leaders and human rights advocates condemning the violence and calling for swift investigations.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who visited the singer at KNH alongside Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and other officials, described the attack as barbaric and unacceptable.

“Our vibrant democracy, backed by a robust Constitution, allows for free expression of political opinion,” Murkomen said on X.

“I condemn this barbaric act that has no place in our society. Our investigative agencies are working hard to establish the motive and bring to book the perpetrators,” he added.

Murkomen also said the government would assist the family with medical expenses during Wandeto’s treatment.

Sudi termed the attack politically motivated and demanded accountability from those responsible.

Political consultant Dennis Itumbi also condemned the incident, saying no Kenyan should face violence for expressing political beliefs.

“Kenya must never become a place where artists are punished, isolated, or targeted because they think differently politically,” Itumbi wrote.

Former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo called for speedy investigations and prosecution of the attackers, terming the assault a violation of constitutional rights and human dignity.

“Such brutality is not only inhumane but undermines the constitutional promise of dignity and freedom from violence,” she said.

Kanja confirmed that investigations into the incident are ongoing and assured the public that those responsible would be brought to justice.