MAKINDU, KENYA – A second-year nursing student, Gloria Mwende Njiru, 22, was fatally stabbed in the early hours of Sunday, November 2, 2025, in Makindu town, Makueni County. The incident, which has shocked the local community, is believed to have stemmed from a dispute over a romantic relationship, according to preliminary police reports and witness accounts.

The tragedy unfolded at a rented house in the Kalimandogo area after Mwende and her housemates returned from a local establishment where they had been celebrating the completion of their clinical attachment. Mwende was a student at Goshen Medical and Technical College and was on attachment at Makindu Sub-County Hospital along with three other students from a Thika-based medical college.

According to police, an altercation broke out among the students, escalating into a violent fight. Neighbours reported hearing a commotion, which resulted in Mwende sustaining fatal stab wounds. She was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Another female student involved in the fight was also injured, sustaining knife cuts to her hands and neck, and was admitted to the hospital under police guard.

Police have since arrested one suspect in connection with the stabbing. A second individual, the injured student, is also considered a suspect. Authorities have stated that the argument was related to their "love life."

A video circulating on social media, captioned 'last memories', shows Mwende in high spirits, dancing and laughing with friends just hours before her death. The footage was reportedly taken during the celebration marking the end of their internship. Friends and classmates have taken to social media to express their grief and call for justice.

The student leader at Goshen Medical and Technical College issued a statement mourning Mwende, describing her as a "passionate student" who was beloved by her peers. "It is with deep sorrow and sadness that I stand before you on behalf of the Goshen Medical and Technical College student body. We have lost a passionate student, 22-year-old Gloria Mwende Njiru, a second-year student. The matter is under active investigations," the statement read.

A Troubling National Trend

Mwende's death is not an isolated incident but part of a deeply concerning rise in femicide and violence against young women in Kenya, particularly university and college students. Data analysis from investigative platforms Africa Uncensored and Africa Data Hub revealed that 2024 was the worst year on record for femicide, with a staggering 170 cases documented. This figure is double the annual average recorded between 2016 and 2023.

Recent months have seen a spate of brutal killings of female students that have captured national attention. In January 2024, the dismembered body of 20-year-old Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) student Rita Waeni was discovered in a rental apartment in Nairobi. That same month, 26-year-old Starlet Wahu was found dead in another short-term rental in the city. These cases, among others, have sparked public outrage and protests, with activists demanding stronger government action to protect women.

Criminologists note that university environments can sometimes become settings for crime, with female students being particularly vulnerable targets for crimes of passion. Experts suggest a need for enhanced psychological support services and awareness programs within higher learning institutions to help students identify red flags in relationships and protect themselves from violence. The majority of perpetrators in femicide cases are young men aged 18-35, and the leading killers are intimate partners.

As investigations into Gloria Mwende's death continue, her case serves as another tragic reminder of the urgent need for societal and institutional interventions to address the root causes of gender-based violence and ensure the safety of young women across Kenya.