MACHAKOS, KENYA – A suspect has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a 21-year-old woman in Machakos County, a case that has shocked the nation after the alleged killer reportedly called the victim's parents to confess to the crime. The incident has raised serious questions about the responsiveness of the National Police Service to reports of gender-based violence.

The suspect, identified as William Kaia, was apprehended by police on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at a hideout in Mombasa, weeks after the alleged crime. He is accused of stabbing Virginia Wayua Nzioki multiple times on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in the Kariobangi area of Machakos. According to preliminary investigations reported by multiple sources, Kaia used the deceased's own mobile phone to contact her parents, not only informing them of the murder but also sending disturbing images of the crime scene.

Josephine Ndunda, the victim’s mother, recounted the horrifying phone call. "The suspect started calling me and told me he is the one who has killed her," she stated to news outlets. The family maintains they were unfamiliar with the suspect.

Allegations of Police Negligence

The family has accused officers at the Machakos Police Station of failing to act on a formal complaint lodged by Wayua just days before her death. Ndunda claims her daughter reported threats to her life on September 5, but her concerns were dismissed by the police. "The Machakos DCI did not help me. My daughter reported the threat on the fifth, but the police ignored her, which empowered the young man to kill her on the tenth," Ndunda said. These allegations have fueled public anger and intensified calls for accountability within the police service, which has faced criticism for its handling of domestic violence and femicide cases.

The suspect is expected to be arraigned in court on Thursday, October 30, 2025, as investigators continue to analyze forensic evidence and phone data.

A National Crisis

The murder of Virginia Wayua Nzioki is not an isolated incident but part of a deeply troubling trend of violence against women in Kenya. Recent data highlights the severity of the crisis. Between September 2023 and the end of 2024, Kenya recorded over 7,100 cases of gender-based violence, including 100 documented murders of women between August and November 2024 alone, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi, who was acting as Interior Minister at the time.

Despite government initiatives, such as the establishment of gender desks in police stations, challenges persist. A 2022 Afrobarometer survey found that while a majority of Kenyans (79%) believe police are likely to take reports of gender-based violence seriously, a significant portion (59%) also think a woman who reports such a crime is likely to be criticised or shamed by her community. Furthermore, the survey revealed that a large majority of Kenyans view domestic violence as a private matter rather than a criminal one, hindering formal reporting and intervention.

Human rights organizations continue to condemn what they describe as a recurring pattern of ignored reports of gender-based violence, which allows perpetrators to act with impunity. The tragic death of Virginia Wayua Nzioki serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for systemic changes in how Kenyan society and its institutions address and prevent violence against women.