Rose Ochieng and her late son, Walter Habil Ogano(inset).
For 31 years, every October 2 has been a day of joy for Rose Ochieng — the day she celebrated the birthday of her firstborn son, Walter Habil Ogano.
But this year, instead of baking a cake, she sat numbly on a wooden bench at Shalom Community Hospital mortuary, her world shattered.
Her son’s lifeless body had been collected by police from the Kyangombe area in Kitengela on the morning of September 26 — just days shy of his 31st birthday, one he had been eagerly planning.
When Nation.Africa found her at the mortuary on Wednesday afternoon, the career teacher sat in silence, staring at the cold metal door where her son lay inside. Her grief was unbearable.
“I last spoke to him less than 24 hours before his death. Then, in the morning, one of his friends called me. He said Walter had been attacked by thugs and was at Shalom Hospital in critical condition. By the time I arrived, I was told to go to the morgue. My son was already gone,”she said.
Rose Ochieng and her late son, Walter Habil Ogano(inset).
Inside, she gathered the courage to look at him one last time.
“A mother should never have to see her child like that,” she said, fighting back tears.
Police officers from Kitengela had booked the body that morning. His phone was missing, but his company badge — from a job he had started only a day earlier — helped officers trace a colleague, who in turn notified the family.
Walter, a graphic designer, had been working odd jobs in Kitengela to support his mother and siblings. On that fateful morning, he left home as usual but never returned.
A postmortem conducted by Dr Simon Omuok on Wednesday revealed that Walter died from internal head bleeding caused by blunt force trauma. His body also bore minor bruises.
Police report
Police initially claimed he was lynched by a mob on suspicion of theft. But the family strongly disputes this.
“My son was not a thief. We want the police to tell us what he supposedly stole, who the complainant was, and why they didn’t rescue him. This is a cover-up. He was a victim of insecurity, not a criminal,” she said.
Walter’s uncle Barack Odido described the death as “outrageous and inhumane.”
“He was a polite, hardworking young man who struggled to make ends meet. To lose him like this is heartbreaking,” Mr Odido said.
The family has begun funeral preparations as they demand answers.
Isinya Sub-County Police Commander Simon Lokitari confirmed investigations would commence once the family files a formal complaint.
“We will review the autopsy report against the initial police findings. Detectives may be forced to revisit the crime scene for more leads,” said Mr Lokitari.
'Gangs territory'
Walter’s death has once again cast a spotlight on the rising wave of insecurity in Kitengela. Residents say two notorious juvenile gangs, “Gaza” and “ZZ,” have been terrorising the township for months.
The gangs, often in groups of four or five, strike between 9 pm and 2 am robbing residents, attacking lone walkers, and vandalising businesses. According to locals, hotspots include Miriam Road, Orata junction, Mwireri Lane, Kyangombe and the Bovi area.
A source told The Nation that some gang members masquerade as touts at the bus terminus by day, only to turn into violent thugs at night. Others hide out in betting shops and video halls. Many are school dropouts trapped in drug and alcohol abuse.
Isinya Deputy County Commissioner Michael Yator confirmed that security agencies are tracking the two gangs.
“We have profiled their members and leaders. We are only waiting for the right time to pounce. These youths want a shortcut to a lavish lifestyle, but we will dismantle their networks completely,” Mr Yator said.
He urged parents to monitor their teenage children closely warning that even day scholars risk being lured into crime.
