According to a report by the United Nations, Kenya recorded 2,048 homicides in 2018 alone, making it one of the most violent countries in East Africa.
The death of Brenda Kawira has not settled well with Kenyans. Her death was termed a suicide but her family is not convinced.
WHAT HAPPENED TO BRENDA?
It was alleged that on February 21, 2023, in Nairobi’s Kasarani estate, Brenda Kawira, 29, jumped 50 feet to her death. She was then laid to rest 17 days later on March 12, 2023, in Meru County.
The lone eyewitness in the suicide claim was her boyfriend and who confessed that they had quarreled on their way to the bedroom. He alleged that Ms Kawira angrily stormed out of the bedroom situated on the fourth floor of the rental apartment, went to the balcony and jumped to death.
BRENDA’S MOTHER SPEAKS
Speaking to YouTuber Lynn Ngugi, Brenda’s mother and sister revealed that Brenda allegedly funded her boyfriend’s lavish lifestyle.
Mama Brenda, Catherine Gakii, told Lynn that in December 2022, her daughter won a scholarship to Australia and wanted to relocate with her boyfriend Marvin. But they first wanted to get married to fly out. According to Gakii, Marvin’s father would cover his son’s expenses to Australia.
Months later on February 22, Mama Brenda had a feeling that something bad was happening, ‘I started shaking so much’. She then woke up a neighbor and they prayed all night.
The following day Brenda’s sister came to the mother with the bad news.
She was told Kawira had fallen on the stairs but she was fine. So, they went to find out. Marvin’s dad was the one who had called Brenda’s mother. He said he had been receiving calls all night and wasn’t sure what was going on. The journey took a long time and during that interval, Baba Marvin informed them that Kawira had passed on.
That was 3 pm on Feb 22nd. He told them to go to Kasarani police station where they found Marvin’s mother and sister.
Marvin told Brenda’s mother that his girlfriend came home with some wine and chips and went to the bedroom. He said she did this whenever they quarreled to give each other time. He played video games, while Brenda spent time on her phone in the bedroom.
He claimed that later he went to sleep and Brenda woke up and went to the sitting room where he followed her.
She went on to say that Marvin claimed that Brenda wanted to go to Meru but he told her it was too late.
He tried stopping her from leaving and that’s when Brenda threw her phone on the couch and went to the balcony. Marvin said he thought she was getting some fresh air. He went to the bedroom, heard a thud, and returned to find Brenda missing from the sitting room.
He looked down the balcony and saw Brenda and someone walking around her body. He went down and found Brenda breathing in pain he screamed.
He then called an Uber which refused to carry Brenda and a neighbour helped take her to a nearby clinic. The delay led to her death.
Marvin then went to Muthaiga Police and was advised that it was a Kasarani issue. That was 3 am, and Marvin said they had to wait until morning to take her body to the morgue.
