By Perez Karisa, June 29,2026
Police in Homa Bay County have launched a murder investigation following the brutal killing of a Maseno University official, whose body was found outside his home in Kabong’o Village, Kokwanyo East Location, Rachuonyo East Sub-county, on Saturday night, June 27.
The deceased was identified as Dr. Daniel Odhiambo Dondi, a 54-year-old lecturer attached to Maseno University’s Department of Finance.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Dr. Dondi had been returning to his house after visiting his farmhand when he was ambushed just a few metres from his entrance.
According to police, the attacker had allegedly concealed himself inside a nearby maize plantation before emerging armed with a machete (panga). He reportedly launched a vicious attack, inflicting deep cut wounds to Dr. Dondi’s neck and multiple severe injuries to his head.
The lecturer succumbed to the injuries at the scene, where his body was later found lying in a pool of blood.
The incident was witnessed by Dr. Dondi’s daughter, who immediately screamed for help after seeing the attack. Her alarm is said to have startled the assailant, forcing him to flee before members of the public could respond.
Police officers visited the scene, documented the incident and moved the body to the mortuary pending a post-mortem examination as detectives commenced investigations.
Early investigations have pointed to a long-running land boundary dispute as the possible motive behind the killing.
Detectives have identified a close neighbour as the principal suspect. Investigators believe the suspect and the victim’s family had been involved in a bitter disagreement over property boundaries that had escalated into a legal dispute before the fatal attack.
The victim’s father, Michael Dondi, confirmed that the family had been engaged in court proceedings with the suspect over the contested boundary markers, describing the disagreement as one that had persisted for an extended period.
Police have since pursued several leads and indicated that a suspect has been tracked down and is expected to undergo formal processing before being arraigned in court to face murder charges.
The killing has sent shockwaves through Kabong’o Village and the wider academic community, where Dr. Dondi was known as a respected lecturer and finance scholar. Residents have expressed concern over the violent escalation of land-related disputes, urging authorities to expedite investigations and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
The incident once again highlights the persistent challenge of land conflicts in parts of the country, with disputes over ownership and boundaries continuing to fuel violent confrontations, some of which have ended in loss of life.
