Walibora had deep cut in between fingers, lost teeth: Author’s death raises questions

Questions continue to arise about the circumstances surrounding the death of celebrated Swahili books author-cum-journalist Ken Walibora after a postmortem report released on Saturday, April 18 indicated he had been stabbed in between his fingers.

Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor said autopsy revealed that the late Siku Njema author had a 7 centimeter cut in between his right thumb and index finger.

“The wound appears like it was inflicted by something sharp,” Dr. Oduor told Citizen Television.

“Maybe Walibora was trying to defend himself against an attack, when the sharp object landed in between his index finger and thumb,” said the chief State pathologist, who conducted the postmortem at Kenyatta National Hospital morgue.

“There was a fracture on the right upper arm.”

The Late Walibora also bled profusely from the brain, Dr. Oduor said.

“He also had a blood clot in his head,” said Dr. Oduor, adding that the Kidagaa Kimemwozea writer had also lost two of his teeth.

The pathologist disclosed that Walibora had more bruises on the right side of his body.

Eye witnesses who spoke to Citizen Television said they had seen street urchins chasing the author-cum-scholar on Landhies Road.

“He was being chased by chokoraas. He managed to run across the road leading to the CBD. However, when he got to the road exiting the CBD, an oncoming [Double-M] matatu knocked him down,” said one of the eye witnesses. That happened at 9:30am Friday, April 10, said another witness.

A Nairobi City ambulance was called and took him to the Kenyatta National Hospital, where he died at around midnight.

Police say they are investigating circumstances surrounding the relocation of his vehicle from Landhies Road end to Kijabe Street, 3.3 kilometers away.

A virtual memorial service was held on Saturday, April 18, at Walibora’s Nairobi home.

He will be laid to rest at his rural home in Cherangany Constituency in Trans-Nzoia County on Wednesday, April 22.

He is survived by a wife and two daughters.