Suspect Apprehended in Kirinyaga Abduction

NAIROBI – Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday, November 10, 2025, arrested a primary suspect in the kidnapping of a Kirinyaga County headteacher, an incident that has heightened anxiety within Kenya's education sector. The arrest comes just two days after the body of another missing school principal was discovered in the Kipkaren River in Kakamega County, marking a grim week for school administrators.

The DCI announced that its Kirinyaga East Sub-County unit apprehended Patrick Gacoki Muembe in his hideout in Kutus town following a meticulous investigation. Muembe is accused of being part of a three-man gang that abducted Joshua Kerai, the headteacher of Gatuto Primary School, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. According to the DCI's statement, the assailants ambushed Kerai in Kagumo, bundled him into a Toyota Ractis, and subjected him to a harrowing ordeal before abandoning him and the vehicle at a petrol station in Kutus. A passerby found the distressed headteacher and took him to a hospital in Kerugoya for medical treatment.

Investigators state that Muembe is a known serial offender, with links to a series of violent crimes in the region, including motor vehicle theft, robberies, and stock theft. A manhunt for the two remaining accomplices is currently underway as Muembe awaits arraignment in court.

Kakamega Principal's Death Sparks Outrage

The breakthrough in the Kirinyaga case contrasts sharply with the tragic outcome of a separate incident in Western Kenya. The body of Simon Isiaho Shange, the principal of Munyuki Secondary School in Kakamega County, was found in the Kipkaren River on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Shange had been missing since Monday, November 3, 2025, after his vehicle was found wrecked following a reported road accident along the Eldoret-Malaba Highway. He was en route to collect Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination papers when he disappeared.

Preliminary reports from police indicate Shange's body was mutilated, leading investigators to treat the case as a suspected murder. Lugari Sub-county Police Commander Robert Kurgat confirmed that the DCI has launched a full investigation into the death. The incident has sparked widespread protests and condemnation from teachers' unions and local leaders. The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Kakamega branch threatened to withdraw principals from examination centers and organize demonstrations if swift action is not taken to resolve the case and guarantee the safety of its members. Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula called for an exhaustive probe, highlighting a recent pattern of threats and assaults against teachers in the Lugari area.

A Climate of Fear for Educators

These two high-profile cases, occurring in quick succession during a critical national examination period, have cast a spotlight on the significant safety risks faced by Kenyan educators. Teachers' unions and education stakeholders have long voiced concerns over inadequate security for school administrators, who are often responsible for the secure collection and return of sensitive examination materials, sometimes in volatile environments and at odd hours. The disappearance and death of Principal Shange, in particular, has raised questions about the security protocols in place during the KCSE examinations. As the DCI continues its search for the remaining suspects in Kirinyaga and investigates the murder in Kakamega, the education community is calling for urgent measures from the Ministry of Education and security agencies to protect school leaders nationwide.