The body of Wilson Mukuna, a resident of Ebukhooli village in Emuhaya Constituency, Vihiga County, has been recovered from River Yala, bringing renewed attention to a series of reported disappearances and deaths linked to the waterway.
Mukuna's body was retrieved from the river at Mulukose, becoming the third body to be recovered from different sections of River Yala within three weeks following separate reported cases of abduction.
According to accounts from his family, Mukuna was woken up from sleep by unknown individuals who allegedly forced him into a vehicle before disappearing. His family says he was taken from his home under circumstances that remain unclear.
His wife, Abigael Duela, says she identified the body through the clothes he was wearing. By the time it was recovered, the body was in an advanced state of decomposition after reportedly remaining in the water for several days.
The family says Mukuna had previously raised concerns about threats to his life, although the circumstances surrounding the alleged threats have not been established.
His sister, Deborah Malesi, is now calling on the government and security agencies to investigate vehicles suspected of being used in abductions, warning that failure to address the reported incidents could expose more residents to danger.
Police officers retrieved Mukuna's body from the river before transferring it to Butere Mortuary, where it awaits further examination as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, the discovery has triggered anger among some residents, who subsequently attacked a homestead belonging to a man reportedly involved in a land dispute with the deceased.
The residents reportedly set five houses ablaze, while also destroying crops and other property within the compound.
According to locals, the occupants of the homestead had relocated a day before Mukuna's body was identified, raising further questions among residents about the circumstances surrounding the land dispute.
Reports indicate that Mukuna had been guarding a piece of land whose acquisition had been surrounded by controversy.
However, the alleged connection between the land dispute and his disappearance has not been independently established.
The attack on the homestead has also raised concerns over possible retaliatory violence, with the destruction of property adding another layer of tension to an already sensitive situation.
Police are expected to investigate both Mukuna's disappearance and death, as well as the destruction of property following the recovery of his body.
The family is now appealing for thorough investigations to establish what happened to Mukuna, identify those responsible for his disappearance and ensure that anyone involved is brought to justice.
Authorities are yet to provide a comprehensive account of the circumstances surrounding the latest recovery from River Yala.
