Kakamega: Family In Grief As Kin Burns To Death In Suspected Arson Attack
- Residents of Shitoli village said they woke to horror after a 38-year-old woman died in a suspected arson attack that gutted her home
- Witnesses reported that the house was locked from outside and doused in petrol, raising fears the victim was deliberately trapped and burned alive
- Irene Akhwesa, the victim’s sister, said she was with her the evening before and saw no signs of distress, calling the death unimaginable
- Neighbours, including Eunice Khatushi, said rumours pointed to a possible lover’s betrayal, questioning why anyone would inflict such cruelty
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Kakamega - A heavy cloud of grief hangs over Malinya in Ikolomani Constituency, after a 38-year-old woman tragically lost her life in what is now being investigated as a suspected arson attack.
Source: UGC
The horrifying incident occurred in the dead of night on Tuesday, May 6, sending shockwaves throughout the tight-knit community.
According to witnesses, the fire was fierce and unrelenting, completely gutting her house, leaving nothing but charred debris and haunting questions.
Her remains were retrieved by police and transferred to the Kakamega County Referral Hospital Mortuary.
Residents of Shitoli village, where the incident took place, woke up to the disturbing news, many struggling to come to terms with the gruesome nature of her death.
For neighbours and relatives, it was not just the loss of a life but how it was taken that left them reeling.
What caused the fatal house fire in Kakamega
According to early witness reports, the house’s door had been locked from the outside, raising immediate suspicions of foul play.
This revelation has intensified speculation that the fire was not accidental, but a deliberate act meant to trap the woman inside and ensure no escape.
Among the grieving family members is Irene Akhwesa, the deceased’s sister, who is still trying to make sense of the unimaginable tragedy.
"I never knew her to have any serious conflicts with anyone, and if anything ever bothered her, she would talk to me. I live nearby; I’m married close to her, and yesterday evening, we were together. She never mentioned any trouble. I’m still in shock that she burned in her house," Irene recounted with disbelief.
Did someone pour petrol to fuel deadly Kakamega blaze
The suspicion of arson was only strengthened by details shared about how the fire spread despite their efforts to put it out.
Source: UGC
Eyewitnesses said a passerby first saw the flames already engulfing the structure, but attempts to save the woman were thwarted by the intensity and unusual behaviour of the blaze.
"From what we’ve been told, because I wasn’t there that night, someone passing by saw the house already in flames. When they tried to rescue her, they couldn’t. Petrol had been poured everywhere, on the windows, doors, and even on the iron sheets above. The fire kept flaring up from every direction.
It seems someone intentionally set her on fire, this was not a case of accidental or self-inflicted burning. Someone poured petrol and lit it, because the fire was being extinguished in one area but reigniting in another," she added.
Some community members have pointed fingers at a possible romantic entanglement gone wrong, with growing suspicion that her boyfriend may have been involved.
"This is extremely saddening. We came to see our sister and were told she had been burned. She never wronged anyone. She didn’t quarrel or fight with people. So, how could this happen? Now we’re hearing it may have been one of her boyfriends. Why would he do something so cruel to her? We are devastated, she has turned to ashes," said Eunice Khatushi, a neighbour who arrived at the scene shortly after the fire.
Two killed, houses burnt in Kakamega
In a previous story covered by TUKO.co.ke, tensions escalated in Luanda village, Likuyani constituency, after the alleged beating and death of a young man, Sydney Lihanda, by a Nyumba Kumi elder, Simon Siashipira.
Witnesses claimed that Siashipira and others assaulted Lihanda on the night of March 9, leading to his death from severe injuries.
In retaliation, angry residents burned Siashipira’s home. Police intervened to restore order, but the situation worsened.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
