Land disputes, alcohol linked to rising murders in Kirinyaga

Security officials in Kirinyaga County have raised concern over rising murder cases, citing land disputes, domestic violence and alcohol abuse as some of the factors contributing to the killings.

Kirinyaga County Criminal Investigation Officer Justus Imaana said Gichugu, Kirinyaga East Sub-County, had recorded the highest number of murder cases among the county’s five constituencies.

“According to my records in the office, many deaths come from Gichugu. People are killing each other, and we do not know what the problem is,” Imaana said.

He acknowledged that police had been arresting suspects but expressed concern over the continued killings.

Imaana linked many of the cases to alcohol consumption, saying excessive drinking was contributing to violence in the area.

“Many cases of murder are caused by the alcohol being consumed in this area,” he said.

Kirinyaga County Commissioner Shifaa Omar Mwijuma, who also spoke in Gichugu, urged residents to use formal channels to resolve land disputes, warning that brokers were contributing to conflicts within families.

“Brokers are making families clash. Please use the Land Control Board to avoid family disunity,” she said.

Mwijuma also called on parents and guardians to closely monitor their children during the ongoing school holidays, warning that unsupervised access to mobile phones and the internet could expose them to drugs and other harmful influences.

“There is also online shopping. You can find your child getting drunk in your own home. Please, let us take care of our children,” she said.

She urged parents to remain actively involved in their children's lives, using the example of a duck that walks ahead of its chicks to illustrate the need for parental guidance and supervision.

“We should walk with our children and not be like a duck that leaves its chicks behind,” she said.