Children of Murdered Kenyan Couple Appeal for US Gov't Intervention

Children of a US-based Kenyan couple that was brutally murdered at their home in Nyamira on March 21st are appealing to the US government to intervene to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.

Edward Morema Nyagechi, 62, and his wife Grace Mong’ina Morema, 60, were found dead inside their house at Nyamakoroto village in Kitutu Masaba.

The man was found lying dead near his garage with deep cuts on his head while his hands and legs were tied with binding wire. His wife’s body was later found in the bedroom with deep cuts around her neck and tied up in a similar manner to her husband.

Speaking in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the family lives, the couple’s children Cliff Nyagechi, Joseph Nyagechi and Caroline Nyagechi urged US authorities to cooperate with their Kenyan counterparts to help unravel the murders.

"Never in my life did I ever think that I will mourn the brutal killing of my parents…It is very painful...look at us…we are just young children…We don't know where to start from….” said Caroline, a junior college medical student in the US.

“We do not know if it will be safe to go to Kenya for the burial of our parents.” 

Cliff said: "It is so sad to lose parents in such a manner…I am asking Interior Cabinet Secretary (Kithure) Kindiki, to ensure all Kenyans are safe.”

The Kenyan community in Minnesota condemned the couple’s killing and demanded speedy investigations into their deaths.

US-based Kenyan attorney Henry Ongeri said: "Recently, I was a gubernatorial candidate for Nyamira County and Edward Morema Nyagechi was my county coordinator. He crisscrossed Nyamira County campaigning for me. We demand justice for the couple, we are going to spare no shilling or dollar to ensure the killers of Nyagechi rot in jail.”

Autopsies conducted on the bodies of the two determined that Nyagechi was hit two times on his head with a blunt object and sustained three stab injuries on his ribs while his wife was strangled to death.