The Homicide Directorate of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has assumed responsibility for investigating the killing of gospel musician Rachel Wandeto, who died from severe injuries following a violent attack on May 16, 2026, in Mwiki, Kasarani, Nairobi.
According to initial findings, Wandeto was heading home when she was confronted by three men along 11th Street near Obama Road. The attackers allegedly assaulted her, poured a flammable substance on her, and set her ablaze before escaping. She was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital with extensive burns covering about 75 percent of her body. She later passed away on May 18, 2026, while receiving treatment.
DCI are actively pursuing leads to establish the motive behind the attack and to identify and arrest those responsible. The DCI has strongly denounced the act, reiterating its stance against violence and any form of criminal behavior that threatens human life.
Authorities have conveyed their condolences to Wandeto’s family and loved ones, assuring them and the public that the case will be handled with diligence, fairness, and without bias. Anyone found responsible will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
City lawyer Danstan Omari, while speaking to Court Helicopter in a legal explainer, addressed the matter and placed it within a broader constitutional and criminal justice framework. Omari argued that the killing of Rachel Wandeto goes beyond an ordinary criminal act, describing it as a grave violation of fundamental rights protected under the Constitution of Kenya. He noted that the circumstances surrounding the attack point to possible elements of premeditation, malice aforethought, and intolerance, which could elevate the offence to capital murder.
“This is not just a normal offence; it bears all the hallmarks of a premeditated act driven by intolerance and malice aforethought, which the law treats with the utmost seriousness,” Omari stated.
He further emphasized that any attack motivated by an individual’s political expression or perceived affiliation strikes at the heart of democratic principles, warning that such acts, if left unchecked, risk normalizing political violence in the country.
“When a citizen is attacked for their political expression, it ceases to be mere criminality and becomes a direct assault on the Constitution and the democratic space,” he said.
According to him, the law is clear and uncompromising when it comes to the protection of life and human dignity, and those responsible must face the full consequences under the penal code.
Omari also called on investigative agencies to move with speed and precision in apprehending the suspects, stressing that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done to restore public confidence.
“Justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done swiftly and transparently, so that the public can retain faith in the rule of law,” he emphasized.
He urged leaders across the political divide to condemn the incident unequivocally and to foster a culture of tolerance as the country approaches the next electoral cycle.
He concluded by stating that Rachel’s death should serve as a turning point for the nation, a moment to reaffirm constitutional values and to reject violence as a tool of political expression.
