Police in Kirinyaga County are investigating a suspected arson attack in which a widow’s house, valued at over KSh 3.5 million, was set ablaze by unknown people at Mikima-ini Village in Tebere Ward, Mwea East Sub-County.
According to Esther Njeri, the owner of the house, the incident occurred while she was in Mombasa County preparing to travel home for the burial of her father-in-law.
Njeri said she was alerted by a neighbour who called to inform her that her house was on fire.
“I didn’t know what to do—I just broke down in tears. I wasn’t sure if my children were inside. I had asked the school to release them so they could attend their grandfather’s burial,” she told the reporter.
She believes the fire was a deliberate act of arson, as the perpetrators reportedly broke the windows before setting the house on fire.
Residents of the area, led by John Gachoki, attempted to extinguish the flames, but their efforts were in vain.
Gachoki noted that county firefighters arrived too late, by which time the house had already been completely destroyed.
Tebere Ward MCA Peter Karinga has called on residents to cooperate with police in their efforts to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.
