SIAYA: Fire Attack Kills 9 Family Members In Ugunja
An arson incident in a community in Ugunja, Siaya County, murdered nine family members on Wednesday morning.
Residents of Upanda Village in Sigomere awoke to the tragic news that a whole household, including a man, his wife, and their seven children, had been destroyed by a mystery fire.
Police assume the attack was planned, maybe in response to a long-standing land dispute between the family members.
Four of the victims were burned beyond identification, while the rest were discovered in the charred remnants of the house.
Police stated that among the fatalities were a high school student preparing for national exams and a six-month-old child, generating additional questions and concerns.
According to authorities, the home’s 45-year-old man was involved in a land dispute with another family, which was resolved in court.
Police stated nothing could be saved from the inferno.
Images uploaded online showed the residence completely destroyed, with personal possessions turned to ash. The event occurred after midnight on Tuesday.
Nine family members have been killed in an arson attack in a village in Ugunja, Siaya County. Nyanza regional DCI head George Mutonya has said one suspect has been arrested as hunt for more continues.#thestarkenya pic.twitter.com/Bgq5piPMK5
— TheStarKenya (@TheStarKenya) April 23, 2025
The victims have been transported to the Siaya County Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem tests, as police continue their investigation.
Authorities reported that one suspect has been arrested in connection with the attack.
The suspect is a woman who was involved in a dispute over ownership of the property where the dead lived.
Nyanza regional head of DCI George Mutonya said the suspect will face murder and arson charges as the hunt for more suspects goes on.
“We are looking for more suspects in connection with this murder and arson. We hope to find them soon,” he said.
The suspect was found with a jerrican that had what police believe to be petrol that was used in the attack.
Witnesses have told police the arsonists arrived aboard a car and executed the mission before escaping.
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They had shut the doors to the afflicted house from the outside.
A court order had been issued to evict the family from their farm. Police said the eviction was set for Thursday.
In retaliation, irate villagers swarmed the suspect’s home and set fire to both the main house and the adjacent farm structures.
Police said they have increased protection in the area to prevent any bloodshed, as tensions remain high.
The region is experiencing an increase in arson and murder cases.
SIAYA: Fire Attack Kills 9 Family Members In Ugunja
