A cloud of grief and outrage hangs over Embakasi following the tragic murder of 21-year-old Naomi Wangari Mwangi, whose death has triggered a chilling murder inquiry now pointing to a man she was last seen with — Jacob Wamalwa.
Wangari’s husband, still visibly shaken, recounted waking up in the middle of the night from a nightmare in which strangers were strangling his wife.
Hours later, his worst fears were confirmed when he learned she had been found dead near their neighbourhood.
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On the night of March 17, Wangari received a phone call from a female friend inviting her for a night out. She handed her phone to her young daughter to keep her busy and left home without revealing her destination.
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That evening, she joined her friend and Wamalwa at a local pub where they spent hours drinking and socialising.
Witnesses say Wamalwa appeared especially generous, footing the bill through M-Pesa and later escorting the two women to a disco matanga where the partying continued late into the night.
At some point, Wangari’s friend left with her boyfriend, leaving her behind with Wamalwa. Around 4 a.m., a woman waiting for her sister to return home reported hearing a scuffle outside.
Peering through her window, she saw a man forcing himself on a woman while another stood by watching. Alarmed and unsure whether the victim was her sister, she screamed, prompting the two men to flee.
Neighbours rushed to the scene and found Wangari partially undressed and in distress. She tried to cover herself and uttered a blood-curdling scream before collapsing and dying on the spot.
Back at home, Wangari’s husband had returned from work earlier that night only to find their daughter alone. He tried reaching his wife but got no response.
Troubled, he searched in vain before retiring for the night. It was during his sleep that the disturbing dream struck him — a haunting vision of his wife being strangled by unknown men.
The following morning, while walking back from taking their daughter to school, neighbours broke the devastating news: a woman had been found dead.
Rushing to the police station and later to City Mortuary, he confirmed the identity of the deceased as his wife. Her body showed visible signs of trauma, and a post-mortem confirmed she had been sexually assaulted and strangled.
Forensic analysis later matched DNA samples from the scene to Jacob Wamalwa, placing him at the centre of the investigation. With evidence mounting, detectives say the case is close to conclusion and that Wamalwa is likely to be formally charged with murder.
Wangari’s death has left her family heartbroken and the Embakasi community in shock.
Neighbours and relatives are calling for swift justice, describing her as a devoted mother whose life was cut short in an act of senseless violence.
The case has also renewed concerns over rising cases of sexual violence and femicide across the country, with many Kenyans demanding stronger protections and accountability.
As the legal process advances, Naomi Wangari’s story stands as a harrowing reminder of the dangers women face, and the deep emotional toll such tragedies leave behind.