Shock and grief have engulfed the family, colleagues and friends of a deputy principal from Bungoma County after he died under mysterious circumstances shortly after attending a school event in Webuye.
Caleb Wekesa Nakhisa, the deputy principal of St Cecilia Misikhu Girls Secondary School, was pronounced dead on arrival at Webuye Sub-County Hospital in the early hours of Saturday morning. Authorities have since launched investigations, with police treating the incident as a suspected murder case.
According to a police report recorded at Webuye Police Station under OB No. 02/24/05/2026 at 3am, the teacher had spent the evening in the company of a 28-year-old woman. Investigators say the two visited several entertainment spots within Webuye town before booking a room at Satellite Hotel later in the night.
Statements obtained from the woman and two hotel employees, identified as Juliet Lusamoywa and Mildred Simiyu, indicate that the pair first met at SK Club at around 8pm. They reportedly shared drinks with friends before later moving to another entertainment venue, Thumbs Club.
Police say the deputy principal and the woman left the club at around 11pm and checked into the hotel. However, only hours later, the situation reportedly took a tragic turn.
Investigators revealed that at approximately 12.20am on May 24, Nakhisa allegedly began experiencing severe discomfort while inside the hotel room. The woman is said to have alerted hotel staff after noticing his deteriorating condition.
Hotel attendants who responded reportedly found the teacher foaming at the mouth. He was immediately rushed to Calvary Hospital before being referred to Webuye Sub-County Hospital, where doctors declared him dead minutes after arrival.
Detectives from the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Office, alongside officers from Matulo Police Post, later visited the scene to gather evidence and begin inquiries into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Police confirmed that the woman who had accompanied the deceased was taken into custody to help investigators piece together the events leading to the incident.
Authorities are now awaiting toxicology and forensic examination results that are expected to provide more clarity on what may have caused the sudden death.
Speaking at Webuye Referral Hospital, the deceased’s father, Maurice Nakhisa, said the family was struggling to come to terms with the loss and demanded thorough investigations.
He said they were informed that their son had died upon arrival at the hospital and later learnt from the postmortem examination that cardiac arrest had occurred. He added that black blood was reportedly seen oozing from the body, raising further concerns among relatives.
Family members described the late teacher as hardworking, disciplined and healthy, saying his sudden death had left them with many unanswered questions.
His widow, Rachel Nekesa, emotionally recalled receiving the heartbreaking news from her employer before rushing to the hospital, only to discover that her husband’s body had already been moved to the mortuary.
Nekesa said they had been married for two decades and had four children together. She termed the loss devastating for the family and prayed for justice and peace for her late husband.
Meanwhile, Bungoma Kuppet Secretary General Augustine Luketelo mourned Nakhisa as a dedicated teacher whose death was a major blow to the education sector.
Luketelo also raised concern over the increasing health challenges facing teachers, noting that many are struggling with pressure related to work and family responsibilities. He encouraged educators to seek regular medical check-ups to help detect health complications early.
Even as mourning continues, investigators are still trying to establish the exact sequence of events that led to the deputy principal’s mysterious death.
