Teachers under the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in Kericho have intensified calls for justice for their colleague, Martina Chepkemoi Ruto, whose death has shocked the teaching fraternity, her family and the wider Kericho community. The teachers have demanded speedy and thorough investigations into the circumstances surrounding her death and called on the police to identify and prosecute anyone found responsible. The case has attracted significant attention because Chepkemoi, a 40-year-old teacher at Lalagin Secondary School in Bureti Constituency, had been reported missing before her body was discovered in the Kimugu River area of Kericho. 

 *Who was Martina Chepkemoi?* 

Martina Chepkemoi Ruto was a secondary-school teacher at Lalagin Secondary School in Bureti Sub-County, Kericho County. Reports identify her as a Kiswahili teacher, with some reports also indicating that she taught History. She was also a mother of four children.

Her death has therefore affected not only her immediate family but also students and fellow teachers who knew her professionally. According to reports from her family and colleagues, she was regarded as a hardworking and dedicated teacher.

Her disappearance began a search involving relatives, friends, colleagues and members of the public. A missing-person appeal was circulated after she was reported missing on August 26, 2026. 

Discovery of her body

The search for Chepkemoi ended tragically when her body was recovered from the Kimugu River on the outskirts of Kericho town.

Police confirmed that they suspected foul play. Preliminary reports indicated that she had injuries to her chest, while several media reports stated that the body had five stab wounds. The body was taken to the Kericho County Hospital mortuary as investigators began working to establish what had happened. 

The discovery transformed the case from a missing-person investigation into a suspected murder investigation.

The exact sequence of events leading to her death remains a matter for investigators and the courts. Police have been expected to establish where Chepkemoi was before her death, who last saw her alive, how she ended up near or in the river and who may have been responsible.

KUPPET demands answers

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers has become one of the strongest voices demanding justice for Chepkemoi.

According to The Standard, KUPPET officials in Kericho, including branch executive Clara Chebet and chairman Johna Korir, called on investigators to move with speed and provide answers about the death of their colleague. They questioned who killed her, why she was killed and how her body ended up in the river. 

The union's intervention reflects the wider concern among teachers about the circumstances surrounding the death of one of their colleagues.

KUPPET officials reportedly called for preliminary answers within 24 to 48 hours, arguing that the matter was too serious for investigations to be allowed to drag on without explanations. The union also expressed concern because Chepkemoi was involved in teaching a Form Four class preparing for national examinations. 

For the teaching fraternity, the case is not simply about the death of an individual teacher. It has also raised concerns about the safety and security of educators outside their workplaces.

 *Why teachers are demanding justice* 

The demand for justice has been driven by several unanswered questions.

First, there is the question of what happened between Chepkemoi's disappearance and the discovery of her body. Her family and colleagues need to know what happened during the period when she could not be traced.

Second, there is the question of how she sustained the reported injuries. Police have said the circumstances suggested foul play, while reports of multiple stab wounds have increased concern among her colleagues.

Third, investigators must establish where the killing occurred and whether the river was the original location of the incident or whether her body was moved there.

Fourth, detectives need to establish who was responsible and whether the killing involved one person or more than one person.

These questions can only properly be answered through evidence-based police investigations, forensic examinations, witness statements and, where appropriate, court proceedings.

Police investigation

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Kericho has been investigating the case.

Kericho East DCI officer Kennedy Apindi confirmed that police recovered the body of an adult woman from the river and that injuries were observed. Police suspected that the teacher had been murdered and said the scene was documented before the body was taken to the mortuary. 

Investigators are expected to examine evidence from the scene, the deceased's movements before her disappearance, communications and other information that could help reconstruct her final hours.

A post-mortem examination and forensic evidence can also be important in determining the precise cause and circumstances of death.

At the time of the reports reviewed, authorities had not publicly established a final motive or identified a person who had been convicted of the killing. It is therefore important that allegations surrounding the case are distinguished from facts established by investigators or a court.

Reports about her personal circumstances

Some reports have raised questions about Chepkemoi's personal circumstances before her disappearance.

The Standard reported that she had applied for a transfer from Lalagin Secondary School and had reportedly told people close to her that she was experiencing marital difficulties. However, there has been no publicly established evidence showing that these circumstances caused or were directly connected to her death. 

There have also been reports alleging that she may have been sexually assaulted before her death. That allegation had not been officially confirmed by police in the reports reviewed and should therefore not be treated as an established fact. 

This distinction is important because the investigation must establish the facts through evidence rather than speculation.

Family's call for justice

Chepkemoi's family has also demanded a thorough investigation.

After identifying her body, relatives reportedly described her as hardworking and respectful and called for authorities to establish what happened to her. The family's position has been that they want answers and justice for their daughter.

The family's demand has been echoed by teachers and members of the community who have been following the case.

The tragedy has also left her four children without their mother, making the search for answers particularly significant to the family.

Burial postponed as investigations continue

Another development demonstrating the seriousness of the investigation was the postponement of Chepkemoi's burial.

According to a report published on September 11, her burial, which had been planned for September 12, was postponed to allow authorities to continue with investigations. The family was expected to communicate a new burial date after the relevant authorities gave clearance. 

The postponement means that the family is facing an extended period of uncertainty as investigators continue working to establish the circumstances surrounding her death.

For relatives, colleagues and friends, the delay is difficult, but it also underlines the need for the investigative process to be completed carefully.

Impact on the teaching fraternity

Chepkemoi's death has had a strong impact on teachers in Kericho.

Teachers spend much of their lives serving students and communities, and the death of a colleague under suspicious circumstances can create fear and anxiety among members of the profession.

KUPPET's intervention has therefore been both a call for justice for an individual teacher and a demand for authorities to demonstrate that cases involving teachers and other members of the public will receive serious attention.

The union has called for accountability and speedy investigations rather than allowing the case to remain unresolved.

Students and the school community

Chepkemoi's death has also affected the school community at Lalagin Secondary School.

She was reportedly handling a Form Four class preparing for national examinations. Her death therefore came at a critical period in the academic calendar.

Teachers at the school must now cope with the loss of a colleague while continuing to support students who may themselves be affected emotionally by the tragedy.

The incident illustrates how the death of a teacher can have consequences beyond the family because teachers occupy an important role in the lives of students and the wider community.

 *What happens next?* 

The immediate focus remains on the police investigation.

Investigators need to establish a clear chain of events surrounding Chepkemoi's disappearance and death. This includes identifying possible witnesses, examining physical and forensic evidence, reviewing relevant information about her movements and determining whether there are suspects who can be linked to the crime through admissible evidence.

If investigators identify suspects, the suspects would have to be dealt with according to Kenyan law, including the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial.

The family and KUPPET are seeking a process that produces answers based on evidence and ultimately holds any person found criminally responsible accountable through the courts.

Wider concerns about justice

The Kericho case has also generated broader discussion about the need for effective investigations into deaths involving women and other vulnerable members of society.

For KUPPET, the demand is straightforward: establish what happened to their colleague and ensure that whoever is legally found responsible faces justice.

The union's call for quick investigations should not mean that investigators sacrifice accuracy for speed. A strong criminal investigation must be both timely and thorough. Evidence must be properly collected and preserved, witnesses interviewed and forensic findings carefully examined.

At the same time, prolonged investigations without meaningful communication can increase anxiety among families and communities. Authorities therefore face the challenge of balancing confidentiality of an ongoing investigation with the public's legitimate interest in knowing whether progress is being made.