The Orange County hostel, located just a few metres from the entrance of Daystar Athi River, has a youthful charm about it. However, if you peep through the seams, a terrifying discovery on September 5, 2026, transformed the hostel into a crime scene after a body was discovered floating in the septic tank located within the premises.
Leading to the septic tank was a trail of blood whose original point appeared to be a room marked A031, a broken window and more bloodstains on the wall. The room was unoccupied. In fact, the previous owner had already relocated.
The body was too badly decomposed to make a positive identification. This sent detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on a hunt to establish its identity.
Simultaneously, the family of 22-year-old Ivy Anyango were desperately searching for their daughter who had gone missing.
“We were with Ivy here at the family home on June 9th. That was the last time we were together, and she left later on the same day; then she sent us a message that she had gone to Ongata Rongai, where she was living. So, from then, we have been trying to reach her, but all in vain and trying to trace her through friends and relatives,” Peter Ongora, Ivy’s father, told Nation.
Ivy Anyango's body was found in a septic tank at one of the hostels near Daystar University.
Photo credit: Pool
The family says that the message Ivy sent was in line with her style of texting and no alarms were raised.
That was until they could not reach her in the days to come. Ivy had been a fourth-year student at Cooperative University studying for a degree in Disaster management. Her graduation was set for December, which she was excited about.
“She was so ambitious, kind, social and a personal friend. She was my cheerleader. Even on social media platforms…we were friends on TikTok. Whenever I posted a video, she was the first to like it. She told me a lot when we were together and had big dreams. She would tell me, “Mama, don’t worry, all shall be well. All that you want in this world shall be accomplished because you have a daughter who will work hard for you.” Jackline Matunga, Ivy’s mother, says.
The many stories that the mother and daughter shared were about a relationship that Ivy told her she was in. However, her mother says she did not communicate more details, and she did not probe her about them.
Ivy had been living in the Gataka area in Karen, but on June 3rd, when she was at her family home, she told them that she had recently moved to Rongai.
After failing to trace Ivy for three months, they received a call on September 30, at 7:11pm from a DCI officer at Athi River police station asking them to visit the police station the next day. The news they received there shattered everything.
“They broke the news to us that there was a body which was found in a septic tank at one of the hostels near Daystar University.” Peter Ongora stated.
“We were able to identify three items that proved that the body was actually Ivy’s. We identified her trousers; her mother was also able to identify the dreads that had beads on her head and bangles she had on her hands,” says Ivy’s father.
Authorities, however, said that DNA analysis would need to be carried out as the final confirmation. Samples were taken on 1st October but to date have not been released.
Ivy Anyango's body was found in a septic tank at one of the hostels near Daystar University.
Photo credit: Pool
“We are grateful to the DCI for the assistance, but right now the situation is very tormenting, looking at the time Ivy got lost and us as parents could not be traced…it has been devastating. We are struggling financially, but we want to lay her to rest.” Peter Ongora says.
Ivy’s mother narrates a dream that she had amidst the angst of searching for her daughter since June 3, 2026.
“We saw each other in a crowd; Ivy stood up and came to me in tears. I pulled her onto my chest, and I told her, ‘my daughter, we still love you, and your home is still the best place to be.’ We shed tears together, and the dream just cut. It was a week before we got these calls.” Jackline says.
“Why have our universities become places of murder? We take our daughters to school, and they are being murdered again and again. If the security had been tight, it may have been different, because for somebody to be killed and dragged into a tank, does it mean nobody goes around to check on those broken window panes that we saw?” Peter adds.
The Director of Liaison and Corporate Communications, Mr John Marete, says that:
“Preliminary findings indicate that the suspected bloodstains and broken rear window in the previously occupied hostel room constitute significant investigative leads. However, the circumstances surrounding the deceased's death, the connection between the room and the deceased, and her positive identification remain subject to further investigation and forensic confirmation.”
