On 9th April 2019, Ivy Wangechi walked out of her class at Moi University, School of Medicine, floating. Her mood was light, almost careless because her life seemed obedient. She was turning a year older the next day, and for once, the books could wait.
By every visible measure, Ivy’s life was perfectly aligned. She was in her final sixth year of medicine, the finish line finally in sight. She was brilliant and it had carried her from Alliance Girls, where she scored a straight A, to one of the toughest courses in the country. And she was beautiful unmistakably so ripe, radiant, African, the kind of beauty people describe lazily as “like a mango from Ukambani” because words often fail.
If life were fair, that would have been enough.But life, as always, had already planted a shadow years earlier. A quiet, patient shadow that had followed her from childhood , violently and permanently without her consent.
That shadow was Naftali Kinuthia, 33. A systems administrator at a betting company.
Successful, quiet and Introverted.A man who didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, and preferred driving home alone to sitting in noisy company.
Naftali had loved Ivy since childhood, obsessively, silently, and for far too long. They first met as children at ACK Bishop Njuguna Academy in Thika. Even then, Ivy stood out. Her hair, her eyes, the way she spoke to Naftali, she was angelic. He watched her quietly, saying nothing, storing the crush deep inside because childhood relationships were forbidden and primary school love was considered indiscipline. So the feeling stayed.
It followed him to Nyandarua High School, while Ivy moved on to Alliance Girls. There was no social media then. No texting, no checking in. Just distance of over 200 kilometres of silence.Yet he never forgot her face.
And fate brought them back together after high school both living in Thika town.Ivy came from a modest background. Her parents were teachers, living in Makongeni Phase 10.
Naftali came from old Thika money. His family owned apartments and businesses, hardwares, bookshops along Mama Ngina Street.
He was shy, lacked vibes but he had cash, and where words failed him, money spoke loudly.He took Ivy on expensive dates, showered her with gifts, tried to buy affection the way some of us buy alcohol end month. Ivy tolerated him out of convenience. He was not her type. He was short, unimpressive, and emotionally heavy.
But free things are free things. She enjoyed for a while. In 2012, Ivy joined campus in Eldoret to pursue medicine. She assumed distance would finish what rejection had started. She was wrong, Naftali was not persistent but fixated.
Years later, he found her again on Facebook after she discarded her old contacts. By then, Ivy had moved on. She had a life, friends and eventually, a boyfriend a classmate, someone closer to her world. Naftali did not care. He returned to his language of money.
Birthday surprises, random transfers and emotional investments. He believed cash would soften her heart, the way it had softened others before. But Ivy was unmoved, she let things flow, hoping silence would eventually exhaust him. It didn’t.
By April 2019, Ivy was planning her birthday party. Naftali eagerly offered to fund it KSh 28,000. He sent KSh 14,000 upfront, promising to deliver the rest on her birthday. But then Ivy made a decision. After receiving the money, she told him plainly that he was not invited, he should stop pestering her and that had a boyfriend. Then she blocked his number.
Wawawawa! wa!
To Naftali, this wasn’t rejection, it was betrayal. He counted the money he had spent on her over the years over KSh 200,000 in his mind. He felt used, humiliated and erased. And rage, long suppressed, finally found direction.
He picked up an axe.
At 3AM on April 9th, 2019, Naftali left Thika for Eldoret,
Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United, here we go!
Totally confirmed. The agreement has been reached with Sporting and the player will fly on next hours to Manchester to undergo his medical and to sign. 🔴 #MUFC#ManUnited#transfers
More details ⏩ https://t.co/MOwurDSZnI
Men hold each other accountable. If a man goes to Quiver, gets drunks, picks a hoe and takes her home, then later get drugged and robbed (sometimes the hoes overdose them and they end up dead), we call out the man. We ask them critical questions and warn others. We don't tell them, "nobody deserves to be drugged" or "that is not reason enough to drug someone". If you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. But there is no faster animal on the planet than a woman running away from accountability.
@evenmaina Orengo naye nikama Al capone. Spiritual leader. Dealing with all underlying issues. Constitutional criminal, and moral support. What a team!!