Parents, political leaders, teachers, and religious figures from Western Kenya are demanding accountability from the leadership of Mt. Kenya University (MKU) following the brutal murder of a first-year student at the university’s Thika Campus on General Kago Road.
The outrage has sparked calls for parents from Busia County, as well as the former Western and Nyanza provinces, to withdraw their children from MKU, including its main campus in Nairobi and all satellite campuses nationwide. Stakeholders argue that the university’s management, led by founder and chairman Prof. Simon Gicharu, has mishandled the tragedy and failed to provide satisfactory answers.
The victim, Filpalma Bwire from Funyula sub-county in Busia, had been enrolled at Thika Campus for just one month when she was found dead. Her body, showing signs of strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head, was discovered over 30 kilometres from the university’s hostels near Thika town. As pressure mounts, critics are accusing MKU of attempting to cover up the incident, with many pointing fingers at the university’s silence and inaction.
Filpalma went missing from the campus hostels roughly two weeks before her body was found. Concerned citizens alerted the police, who recovered her remains and transferred them to the MKU mortuary. Despite her roommates reporting her disappearance to university authorities, no significant efforts were made to locate her, raising questions about the institution’s duty of care.
Filpalma’s mother, Rose Bwire, has accused the university’s hospital of manipulating the initial post-mortem report to suggest her daughter committed suicide. “Why would she travel over 30 kilometres from campus to take her own life?” Mrs Bwire asked, her voice heavy with grief. She also criticized the university for excluding the family from the post-mortem process. A second autopsy, conducted at St. Elizabeth’s Nangina Mission Hospital, contradicted MKU’s claims, confirming that Filpalma died from strangulation and head trauma.
During the burial in Rumbiye, speakers lambasted the university’s leadership, particularly Vice Chancellor Prof. Deogracious Jaganyi, for not addressing the matter publicly. They urged the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to launch a thorough probe and hold those responsible accountable.
Speaking to The Weekly Vision, Mrs Bwire recounted how she accompanied her daughter to MKU for admission, paid the full first-semester fees, and was assured of her safety—only to learn of her death a month later. “How was her body transported and abandoned 30 kilometers away? Why is the university shielding the culprits?” she demanded, directing her questions at Prof. Gicharu and the administration.
The chairman of Filpalma’s funeral committee echoed her sentiments, condemning MKU for its failure to engage with the bereaved family. He noted that neither Prof. Gicharu nor any senior officials attended the requiem mass in Nairobi or the burial in Busia. He further alleged that university officials had bribed law enforcement to suppress the case, accusing MKU of valuing profits over student welfare.
The incident has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with parents, community leaders, and religious figures vowing to pursue legal action against MKU’s leadership and ownership. They have promised to amplify their demands through national and regional media, warning that unless Prof. Gicharu publicly accounts for Filpalma’s death and ensures justice, they will push for a complete boycott of the university.
As the backlash intensifies, all eyes are on law enforcement to determine whether a transparent and impartial investigation will deliver justice for Filpalma Bwire and her grieving family. For now, the tragedy has cast a dark shadow over Mt. Kenya University, raising serious questions about its commitment to student safety and accountability.
