Police in Kyuso, Kitui, have raised concerns about rising cases of killings involving relatives and friends. The majority of those involved are aged under 40.
Kyuso subcounty police commander Charles Machinji said on Monday that seven cases of murder have been reported in the area in three months.
“It has reached a point where the clergy, our political leadership and even provincial administrators should counsel the population. Losing seven people to murder in three months is an issue of great concern,” he told journalists in his office.
Machinji said the killings have been as a result of trivial issues. “Most of these cases involve people killing each other over very petty issues.”
He said that police with the help of the National Police Reservist and members of the public on Sunday evening arrested a murder suspect who had been on the run. He is suspected of having stabbed a close friend to death with a knife on Thursday last week in Ngomeni.
“The suspect was drinking beer with the victim in a bar in Ngomeni ward, when they picked a quarrel over the woman who was selling beer to them. The quarrel resulted in the stabbing to death of the second man,” he said.
Machinji said the quarrel degenerated in a fistfight and suspect Kyalo Mavinzu, 38, unsheathed a knife and stabbed Mwasi Musyoka, 35.
He said Musyoka attempted to pursue Mavinzu, but collapsed 70 metres from the bar. Musyoka died after he lost a lot of blood.
The suspect went into hiding until he was arrested on Sunday.
Machinji said they will arraign the suspect in court tomorrow and charge him with manslaughter.
The body was taken to Kyuso Level 4 Hospital morgue.
