Anita Nyambura Mugweru had been preparing to leave a troubled marriage when her life was cut short in Nakuru, according to accounts from her family and people familiar with the case.
The 29-year-old accountant was allegedly stabbed by her estranged husband, KDF Captain Edwin Muthomi Kaunga, at their home in St Mary’s Estate on April 14, 2026.
The case has since moved through the courts, with a psychiatric assessment finding Kaunga unfit to stand trial at the time. The Nakuru High Court subsequently ordered that he be committed to Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital for treatment and further assessment.
What makes Anita’s death particularly painful for her family is that they say the relationship had already broken down and a family meeting had been planned for April 18 to formally address the separation.
According to accounts reported after Anita’s death, she had experienced repeated difficulties in the relationship and had previously reported threats.
A househelp who was present during the fatal incident told TUKO that Anita had asked her husband to wait until Saturday, when their parents were expected to meet and resolve the dispute.
The househelp said the confrontation escalated after Kaunga allegedly went to the kitchen and returned with a knife. Anita was subsequently fatally wounded and was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The couple’s young daughter and the househelp were reportedly present during the incident.
Anita’s family and friends later described her as a woman who had been trying to rebuild her life after the marriage deteriorated. TUKO reported that she worked at ICS College in Nakuru and that her family had said she was preparing for a new chapter.
The circumstances surrounding Anita’s death have also raised questions about whether earlier warnings could have prevented the tragedy.
Her family said she had reported threats before her death, while friends also claimed they had warned her about the danger they believed she faced.
TUKO reported that one friend alleged Kaunga had previously threatened Anita with a knife and had told her that she would only leave him if she died. Those claims remain allegations from people close to the deceased and have not been established as court findings.
The family later pursued legal protection amid concerns about further intimidation.
In June, a Nakuru court issued interim orders restraining Kaunga from harassing, intimidating, threatening or tormenting Anita’s mother, Serah Nyokabi Mugweru, and other members of the family.
The murder case has taken a different course because of Kaunga’s mental-health assessment.
The Standard reported that a psychiatric report presented before the Nakuru High Court found him unfit to stand trial at that stage. The court consequently committed him to Mathari for treatment.
The assessment does not determine whether he is guilty of the alleged murder. That question remains for the criminal justice process if and when he is declared fit to participate in proceedings.
Reports have also referred to his previous military deployments and alleged changes in his behaviour, but such accounts should be distinguished from findings formally established by the court.
Anita’s death left behind a young daughter and relatives who had expected the family meeting on April 18 to help bring an end to the troubled marriage.
Instead, the meeting never took place.
The case has since developed into more than a murder prosecution. It has raised questions about domestic violence, the response to reported threats, protection for families involved in serious criminal cases and the treatment of accused persons whose mental health is in question.
For Anita’s family, the legal process continues as they seek justice while also protecting themselves from further alleged intimidation.
The courts will ultimately determine the criminal case based on the evidence presented, while the mental-health proceedings will establish when, and whether, the accused is fit to face trial.