The mother of 18-year-old Joy Wangui is mourning the devastating loss of her firstborn daughter after the Form Four student was allegedly killed in an incident that has sparked a police investigation in Molo, Nakuru County.
Wangui, a student at Molo Secondary School, was preparing to sit for her 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations and had dreams of joining university. Instead, her family is now preparing to lay her to rest, cutting short the hopes they had for a young woman they described as bright, hardworking and academically gifted.
The teenager was found dead at her home in Kiambaa, Moto Location, under circumstances that detectives are treating as murder.
Following the discovery of her body, investigators recovered several weapons at the scene, which are believed to have been used during the alleged attack.
Detectives later tracked down and arrested 23-year-old Walter Kipkoech at a hideout in Lagwenda, Kuresoi North. Investigators believe Kipkoech was Wangui’s boyfriend and have linked him to the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death.
For her mother, Trizah Wairimu, the reality remains difficult to comprehend.
Wairimu said she was away when the incident occurred and only returned later to learn that her daughter had been killed.
«”I was not around when she was killed; I only returned later to find out what happened,” she said.»
The grieving mother revealed that she was aware of her daughter’s relationship with Kipkoech. However, she said the family had previously expressed concerns about the relationship and had taken the matter to authorities.
According to Wairimu, the family had reported their concerns both to the police and the area chief.
She now wants the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s death fully investigated and justice served.
«”As a parent, I would love justice for my daughter; no one deserves to die because of love,” Wairimu said.»
The mother described Joy as a promising student whose academic performance had given the family reason to look forward to her future.
She said her daughter consistently attained B grades and had been working hard in preparation for her final secondary school examinations.
«”My daughter was a B student; I expected her to go to the university but now she is no more,” she said.»
The pain is particularly profound because Joy was not only the family’s firstborn but also a young woman whose future appeared full of possibilities.
Instead of celebrating her KCSE results and preparing for university, her family is now left grappling with grief and unanswered questions over how her life came to such a tragic end.
Wairimu declined to discuss in detail the specific concerns that had surrounded her daughter’s relationship. However, she used the heartbreaking experience to urge young people to listen to their parents and take parental advice seriously.
She said parents often raise concerns because they have life experiences that may allow them to identify dangers that their children might overlook.
For the Wangui family, the focus has now shifted from Joy’s promising academic future to the pursuit of justice.
Her mother hopes that the investigation will establish exactly what happened and that whoever is found responsible will face the law.
Kipkoech remains in custody as detectives continue with investigations into the death of the Form Four student.
