Call for justice as baby Shantel is laid to rest
By Loise Wambugu, February 17, 2026A sombre mood engulfed residents of Rititi Village in Mathira Constituency during the burial of nine-year-old Shantel Waruguru Kagema, who was brutally defiled and murdered by her uncle last week.
Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their last respects, many overcome with grief as they reflected on the tragic events that have shaken the quiet village over the past week.
Speaker after speaker demanded justice for the young girl, calling for tougher laws and harsher punishment for paedophiles, rapists and murderers.
Margaret Karungaru, a commissioner at the National Gender and Equality Commission, said the commission is backing proposed reforms by a task force led by Nancy Baraza aimed at strengthening penalties for sexual offenders.
As a commission, we are supporting the proposed laws that would subject paedophiles, rapists and defilers to chemical castration as a deterrent to others,” she said.
Karungaru added that the commission is also recommending that suspects in such cases remain in custody throughout their trials, without the option of bail or bond. She further proposed that victims be placed in safe homes to protect them from further harm.
Mourners urged residents to stop shielding criminals and instead report suspicious individuals to authorities to help prevent similar tragedies.
Family members described Shantel as obedient, cheerful and God-fearing, saying her death has left an irreplaceable gap in their lives.
Her burial marked not only a painful farewell, but also renewed calls for justice and stronger protection for children.
Shantel’s death
Shantel was found dead inside a pit latrine after going missing.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the family spokesperson, Jackline Ruguru, confirmed the grim discovery, as grief and anger swept through the village.
Ruguru struggled to hold back tears as she described the state in which Baby Shantel’s body was found.
“They had to slice her up. She is in very bad shape. I do not know what the mother will go through, because huyo hata si mtoto,” she said.
Ruguru added that what she witnessed was deeply traumatising, noting that the condition of the body made it difficult to comprehend that the victim was a young child.