A wave of shock and grief has swept through Kabete in Kiambu County after authorities reported that a mother allegedly killed her 11-year-old daughter, with suspicions pointing to cult involvement. The suspect, 41-year-old Mary Ngina, is accused of murdering her daughter, Irene Waithera, in the morning.
According to her husband, Joseph Gitau, the unsettling incident followed years of abnormal behaviour that started when Ngina joined an enigmatic religious group. He said she became distant and often spoke of being required to offer blood sacrifices. Despite his attempts to prevent her from attending the group’s meetings, she continued, and her demeanor changed so much that she was no longer the woman he had married.
Neighbours claimed that Ngina had been promised a leadership role in the religious group if she carried out their demands and have urged authorities to probe the organization, describing its activities as suspicious.
Kabete Police Commander Peter Kimotho confirmed that the mother is now in custody, and investigations are ongoing to determine whether her actions were linked to cult practices. The killing has provoked widespread anger, with Kenyans nationwide calling for stricter oversight of unregistered religious sects and measures to curb cult-related crimes.
