Elders from Nyamira County have demanded urgent intervention in Ntana village, North Mugirango, following a series of deaths they attribute to unresolved love triangles among youths.
Their call follows a recent incident in which a university student and a Form Three student from Mwongoris High School died under tragic circumstances. Residents said the two had left a funeral gathering late at night before the incident occurred. Police have since launched investigations.
Speaking to Education News, the elders warned that silence and inaction are fueling a cycle of violence that continues to claim the lives of young people in the county.
“We cannot keep burying our children every few months and hope the problem will disappear,” one elder said. “The community, schools, and county government must act together now.”
The elders pointed to what they described as a worrying pattern.
The latest deaths come barely a year after another university student was charged over the killing of Faith Kemunto, a prospective university student, following a disagreement in their relationship. Police confirmed that her body was recovered from a shallow grave in the area. The incident cut short her dream of joining a university and left the community deeply shaken.
To break the cycle, the elders urged the Nyamira County Government to deploy professional counsellors to schools and fund community dialogue forums targeting youths in North Mugirango.
They also called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to expedite investigations into the latest case and urged local chiefs to revive traditional mediation channels under the Amasikani principle of peaceful coexistence.
“The county cannot claim to promote education while failing to protect students from violence at home,” the elders said. “We need safe spaces, parental engagement, and swift justice. Without that, more funerals will follow.”
READ ALSO: Shock as Form Three girl and university boyfriend die in Nyamira County
Local leaders led by Charles Mobisa said funerals and social gatherings should be closely monitored to prevent misuse, adding that youths should be encouraged to seek mediation and guidance through school counselling offices instead of resorting to violence.
By Enock Okong’o
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