Kenyan Newspapers Review: Mombasa Girl Recounts Dad Sending Her To Shop Before Killing Her Mother

On Saturday, July 29, the Kenyan dailies spotlighted an array of topics; the political status quo in the country got much coverage.

The dailies also had space highlighting Kenyans' reactions to the court of appeal lifting conservatory orders stopping the implementation of the Finance Act 2023.

1. The Standard

The daily reported an 11-year-old girl recounted her father's last words before he allegedly killed her mother on Father's Day in 2022.

She told Justice Anne Ong'injo that her father, Murad Awadh, sent her to buy two Al Kafan (the Shroud), saying one was to bury their mother and the other to bury him.

Awadh is charged with killing his wife, Nuru Ibrahim, on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, using two kitchen knives.

The minor told the court that her father gave her his phone and M-Pesa PIN to withdraw the money to buy the Kafan used by Muslims to cover a body before burial.

Another witness, Omar Said, told the court that Awadh was upset that his wife had joined Instagram and had many followers, which made him insecure.

"My father was hitting mum while yelling at her, claiming that she was cheating on him. He was asking her why she was introducing prostitution into our family. My mother left the room, and she tried locking my father inside their room, but dad pushed the door forcefully, and our mother fell neighbours tried to intervene but in vain," the minor told the court.

Another witness in the case informed the court how the accused opened the door while holding a knife that was oozing blood.

Hassan Mbarak told the court that he saw Nuru's body lying inside the accused's kitchen, naked in a pool of blood. Awadh tried to turn on himself, but he restrained him.

2. Taifa Leo

The Swahili paper reported former Migori governor Okoth Obado requested the High Court to order the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to provide him with the statement made by his son, Dan Aluoch, concerning the murder of his lover, Sharon Otieno, four years ago.

It is alleged that Obado and his son Dan were courting Sharon, a situation the suspect deemed inappropriate within the Luo community, stating "a father and son should not draw water from the same well."

However, before her brutal murder, Sharon denied being romantically involved with Obado and his son, Dan.

In addition to his son's statement, Obado also requested Judge Cecilia Githua to order the DPP's office to provide him with written statements from Olivia Adhiambo, his security guard Elvis Omondi, Hellen Adhiambo Odie, and the list of phone records of the taxi driver, Jackson Otieno Gombe.

Former councillor Lawrence Obonyo Mullah Owuor told the court that Sharon denied having a romantic relationship with Dan Aluoch.

When providing his testimony, Mullah stated that he called Sharon while she was in a hotel with Obado, and she denied having a romantic relationship with Dan.

3. Daily Nation

The daily reported a judge had rejected a man's bid to block his sisters from inheriting their father's vast property in Kakamega County

The man, Stanley Shilenje Namayi, had four wives and 43 children-22, sons and 21 daughters.

Shilenje died on March 14. 2015, and his family has been fighting over his vast wealth in court, which includes numerous parcels of land.

One of his sons, Rustus Namayi, wanted to disinherit his sisters, arguing that girls were not entitled to inheritance according to their customs.

He instead presented his proposed distribution, saying each of the 22 sons should get between 4 to 4.5 acres of land and an equal share of other assets, including money in the bank.

But Justice WM Musyoka defended the entitlement of the daughters, saying the law and the constitution allow them to inherit from the estates of their dead parents.

"I heard it from Rustus Namanyi, that according to his customs, daughters are not entitled to inherit. That position belongs to a bygone era. Rustus Namanyi lives in the past," Justice Musyoka ruled.

4. The Star

The publication reported two people were killed by marauding elephants in Ganze sub-county, Kilifi county.

Safari Kaviha, 40, was killed in Mwangea village, Vitengeni division, while Kalume Tambo, 33, was killed in Mihandent village, Bamba division.

Kenya Wildlife Service senior assistant director Coast conservation area John Wambua confirmed the incidents.

Mwangea sub-location assistant chief Eric Menza said he was taking supper with his family at their homestead around 10 pm when jumbos Invaded the homestead.

The administrator said elephants have been roaming the area since last year. Menza said elephants have conquered the area, threatening the bumper harvest realised this year.