Wednesday October 23, 2024
A woman mourns in silence, her grief palpable, as family and community members come together to honor three Somali women tragically murdered in Kenya. The somber gathering reflects the deep sorrow felt by the Somali diaspora in Nairobi. Credit/ Citizen Digital TV
NAIROBI, Kenya (HOL) — Kenyan authorities are investigating the brutal murders of three Somali women from the same family whose bodies were discovered in different locations across the country earlier this week. The victims, identified as Waris Daud, her 21-year-old daughter Amina Abdirashid, and her 12-year-old niece Nuseiba Dahir, were found in Machakos, Parklands, and Buruburu, respectively, after going missing on Monday night.
The gruesome nature of the killings, which involved signs of physical mutilation, has sent shockwaves through Nairobi’s Somali community, particularly in the Eastleigh neighbourhood where the family lived. The police have not yet identified any suspects. However, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have launched an inquiry and are examining CCTV footage showing the last known movements of two of the victims.
The incident began when Waris, feeling unwell, left her home around 7 PM on Monday to visit a hospital. When she failed to return after several hours, her daughter Amina and niece Nuseiba decided to look for her. This was the last time the family heard from the three women.
On Tuesday morning, the family’s worst fears were confirmed. Amina’s body was the first to be found in Parklands, Nairobi. Later that day, Waris’s mutilated body was discovered near a school in Machakos, roughly 61 kilometres from the capital. The youngest victim, 12-year-old Nuseiba, was found in Buruburu.
Speaking to local media, a relative, Sumeya Noor, described the family’s anguish and desperate search for answers. “We don’t know what happened to them, and no one is helping us get justice for our relatives,” she said.
Details released by Kenyan police have revealed the horrifying nature of the killings. According to Athi River South Sub-county Police Commander Philis Muthoni, Waris’s body showed signs of extreme violence. Her wrists had been severed, her face was mutilated, and her eyes were gouged out. Investigators also suspect she was sexually assaulted.
“It’s clear that Waris was murdered elsewhere, and her body was dumped in Machakos,” Muthoni explained. “There were deep cuts all over her body, suggesting the use of a sharp object.”
Family members and mourners gather outside a morgue in Nairobi, grieving the tragic loss of three Somali women whose bodies were found in separate locations across Kenya. The community is in shock, seeking justice for the victims of these brutal murders. CREDIT/ CITIZEN Digital
The other two victims, Amina and Nuseiba, were found with similar injuries, though the police have not yet confirmed if the same weapon was used in all three murders.
Kenyan authorities are working to piece together what happened and determine whether the killings were linked to a single perpetrator. Nairobi County Police Chief Adamson Bungei confirmed that investigators are reviewing CCTV footage showing Amina and Nuseiba leaving their home in a taxi around 9 PM on the night they disappeared.
"We are following several leads and questioning witnesses, but at this point, we do not have a clear motive," Bungei said, adding that detectives were interviewing family members and close associates of the victims.
The brutal killings of the three Somali women have sparked growing fears that they may be part of a larger wave of targeted violence against Nairobi's Somali community. These concerns were amplified with the recent murder of Yusuf Hussein Ahmed, a Somali-Kenyan politician and Member of County Assembly (MCA) for Della Anole Ward. Ahmed was abducted from Nairobi in September, and his mutilated body was found 40 days later in Lake Yahud.
Ahmed's abduction, believed by some to involve state actors, underscores the broader risks faced by Somali politicians and community members in Kenya.
Kenya has seen an alarming rise in forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, many of which have been tied to security agencies. Human rights groups have consistently condemned this disturbing trend, which disproportionately impacts marginalized communities like the Somalis.
Local leaders are urging authorities to act swiftly to bring those responsible to justice, citing growing concerns about the safety of women in particular.
The Somali community, especially in Eastleigh, has been left reeling by the news of the murders. Many feel that these targeted attacks highlight a larger issue of insecurity that has gone unaddressed for far too long.
"We've seen cases like this before, and nothing seems to change," said Noor. "We just want justice and protection for our families."