Autopsy confirms Rachel Wandeto died of severe burn injuries as Ruto vows action
By Aloys Michael, May 22, 2026A postmortem examination has confirmed that gospel singer Rachel Wandeto died from severe burn injuries following an attack in Nairobi’s Mwiki area.
The postmortem conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor said Wandeto sustained 85 per cent burns on her body and succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital.
According to preliminary police reports, unknown individuals attacked Wandeto before setting her on fire. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where she later died.
During the postmortem at the Nairobi Funeral Home, forensic teams collected DNA samples to assist investigators in identifying the perpetrators.
“The deceased succumbed from severe burn injuries after sustaining 85 per cent burns,” he said.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) homicide unit has assumed control of the case. No arrests have been made, and detectives are currently pursuing multiple leads to establish a motive.
The killing has sparked widespread public condemnation and renewed national debates regarding insecurity and gender-based violence (GBV) in Kenya.
Human rights activists, religious leaders, and musicians have publicly demanded swift judicial action, while civil society groups call for stronger protections against violence targeting women.
Meanwhile, Ruto condemned political intolerance and hate speech following the death of gospel singer Rachel Wandeto, warning that those behind the attack and the culture of hostility surrounding it will be held accountable.
Speaking in Mombasa on Thursday, May 21, 2026, during the issuance of title deeds as part of his four-day development tour of the Coast region, Ruto said the country would not tolerate tribal profiling, political blackmail, or violence against citizens because of their political beliefs.
“For the hate you are perpetuating in Kenya, the life of one Rachel Wandeto will not go unanswered. You, who call others traitors until Wandeto was murdered because of your hatred, because of your tribalism, because of profiling some Kenyans as betrayers, one day you will answer,” Ruto said.
The Head of State accused unnamed political actors of fuelling division and hostility among Kenyans, saying the country’s democratic space must remain open to all regardless of political affiliation.
“We will not allow you to blackmail anybody in Kenya. You will not blackmail our nation using hate, and you will not blackmail Kenyans as traitors because they do not believe in your tribal bigotry,” he stated.
Ruto maintained that Kenya’s future depended on unity and tolerance rather than divisive politics.
“Our nation will not go backwards; our nation will go forward because we are a nation, one people with a common destiny,” the Head of State said.
The President’s remarks came days after Wandeto succumbed to severe burn injuries at Kenyatta National Hospital following a brutal attack in Mwiki, Kasarani, Nairobi.
Wandeto, a gospel singer who recently went viral after tattooing Ruto’s image and political slogans associated with his administration on her body, had been admitted in critical condition after unknown assailants allegedly doused her with petrol and set her ablaze on May 16, 2026.
Doctors at the national referral hospital had fought to save her life for several days, but she later succumbed to the injuries.