Coffins bearing the bodies of four children who died in a mysterious house fire are seen here at a burial on December 31, 2024, in Kihumbu-ini village, Gatanga.
Murang'a County has been rocked by a puzzling trend of fires that family members and community leaders believe are meant to cover up murders, with police under fire for failing to connect the dots in such cases.
The county Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) office reported 12 unresolved fire-related cases in 2024, contributing to a total of 32 incidents over the past three years.
"The mysterious fires appear deliberately started by suspects out to execute murder. It appears that those who start the fires have concealment of crucial leads to make it hard to arrest them," the police report states.
This year, Murang'a South sub-County has started posting fire related murders where on January 8 in Mung'etho Village of Maragua constituency, Ms Grace Wanja Maina, 47, was rescued from her house with extensive fire injuries.
According to Murang'a South DCI boss Mr John Kanda, no suspect has so far been arrested.
"We suspect that a man well known to the victim is the chief suspect in that attack. We are still pursuing leads that can help us arrest the attacker(s)," Mr Kanda said.
Murang'a DCI boss Mr Obed Isanda told Nation.Africa investigating fire deaths, especially in a scene where there is no technological input like CCTV and there are no witnesses is complicated.
"When we move into a scene that fire suspected to be an act of arson has killed,...it becomes a very complicated task to start unravelling the leads to help us bring the culprits to book," he said.
Noted trend
Murang'a leaders including county Governor Irungu Kang'ata, Senator Joe Nyutu and Woman Representative Betty Maina have in the past lamented about the fires that come with all characteristics of premeditated murder.
"There are fires that happen as accidents and on those, we cannot lay blame anyone. But again, there are fires that have killed innocent people and they did not exactly look like they were accidents. We as a county would love that all these fire incidents be investigated and an open public report tabled," said Dr Kang'ata.
The governor said the county government is ready to partner with DCI to help in investigating those fires.
"County government has several competencies in the disaster management department that can assist in investigating these numerous fires that have become routine in killing our people," he said.
Tragic deaths
One of the most recent tragedies occurred on December 19, 2024, in Gakoigo Trading Centre, where four children — Alvin Kamau,4, Brenda Wanjiku, 3, Jayden Waweru, 2, and Lyon Muturi1 —died in a fire that engulfed their iron-sheet home. The fire is still under investigation, with no arrests made.
“These deaths were suspect. We can no longer continue like this. There is a hidden aspect in these murders. The county is being debated negatively owing to these cruelties and it is the duty of our security agents to give us the answers,” said Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu.
Mr Nyutu said no suspect has been arrested a month later, the DCI continuing to say it is still analysing scene report.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who attended the burial of the four, threw yet another spanner in the works, saying the fires had become a discussion in national security meetings when he was still in office.
"In my tenure at the National Security Council these murderous fires in Murang'a County were being debated in almost all sittings with your security bosses being pressured to work hard and bring perpetrators to book," Mr Gachagua, who was impeached in October last year, said.
Mr Gachagua said: "Those murderers who use fire to attack victims” and later destroy evidence using fire “should be classified as terrorists".
The Nation spot check
A look into recent incidents reveals a mind-set determined to execute murder using fire.
On April 10, 2023, Mary Wangui, 60, and her three daughters — Cecilia Gathoni, 30, Lucy Mumbi, 20, Margaret Wanja,15, and two grandchildren Jackline Wambui, 7, and Alvine Kiarie, 3 — died in a night inferno in Nguthuru Village of Kandara Sub-County.
Just like in the Gakoigo incident, all the victims were asleep when the fire started.
Also Read: Tragedy as twins die in Kirinyaga night fire
The then Kandara police boss Michael Mwaura in his media briefing said the detectives were exploring various clues.
“There are many suspicions that crop up once these incidents occur. Mostly cited motivations are property, cultism, jealousy, mental illnesses, malice and revenge among others. But regardless of what the beef is, it is ungodly to scheme murdering a fellow human being by whatever means,” he said admitting that the cause of the fire was arson.
On January 24, Mercy Njoya, 34, had been attacked by a gang of four in her Maragua town’s Mathare Estate home.
The house was petrol-bombed and lit on fire. She suffered injuries that led to her death 13 days later as she received treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital.
According to Maragua Division Assistant County Commissioner Joshua Okello, no suspect has ever been arrested.
"This is despite the fact that area residents freely cite the suspects who were seen riding on a motorcycle and ordered her to open up her single room," said Maragua MP Mary wa Maua.
She said this incident could have been investigated successfully “by any third-rate detective” since it had a well-defined trail.
"It is known that she was taking alcohol in a local bar and was in the company of known men who are the same ones reportedly seen escaping from her house after the fire,” she said.
Burnt outside
On February 20, 2023, the county woke up to another shocking fire incident where two elderly women were found burnt to death on a village path in Kiharu constituency.
Police identified the victims as Ms Jane Wambui, 85, and Mary Njoki, 75. Suspects and motives behind the heinous murders were then recorded as unknown.
“But it later, in investigations, emerged that the two were accused of practicing witchcraft. They were flushed out of their houses and burnt to death,” says outgoing Kahuro Police boss Catherine Ringera.
Alarming rise in unexplained fires in Murang'a county linked to murders.
Ms Ringera added that her area suffered another mysterious fire on October 21, 2023, resulting in the death of Ms Jane Wanjiru, 70, at Kirogo village.
The woman was found burnt to death in her house and so far, Ms Ringera said, no suspect has been identified.
On September 17, 2023, Ms Agnes Muthoni was attacked by a lone male as she opened her home compound gate at Mathegeta village in Murang’a South Sub-County and petrol bombed to death.
According to area Deputy County Commissioner Gitonga Murungi, the assailant is yet to be identified.
“All that we know is that her husband was in bed and she had woken up at 6am to open the gate. As she was getting back to the house, a man emerged from behind and tripped her down and petrol bombed her,” he said.
The suspect escaped into the nearby bushes after the incident, Mr Murungi said, adding that the victim died before she could reveal more details.
On September 28, 2023, the body of Grace Wanjiku, 84, was retrieved from her house in Kirimiga village in Mathioya Sub County. She was burnt beyond recognition in an incident detectives have since ruled as murder.
Mrs Wanjiku was sleeping in the same house with his two sons aged 51 and 48 years when the fire started in the five-bedroom house.
The two sons told police in their statements that they had left the room they shared and ventured out to search for cigarettes when the fire erupted from their mother’s bedroom.
Though scene of crime detectives reported to the area a week later, Mathioya Sub County DCI boss Muriithi Muriungi said investigations are still ongoing aimed at nabbing “those who were behind the fire”.
He said several angles are being explored and soon there will be a credible report aimed at arresting those behind the murder.
Neighbours and family members reported that the deceased was in a protracted land dispute with a relative and her death could be related to the tussle.
Senator Nyutu said: "We are concerned with these senseless crimes and it is our commitment as Murang'a leadership to insist that suspects must be sought and made to account for their evil".
