Mystery surrounds death of Std VII Dodoma pupil

What you need to know:

  • Farida's mother returned home at around 2am and entered the house as usual but despite being drunk, she managed to switch on the torch and realized that something was not well in the house.

Dodoma. Farida Makuya, 16, was to sit for her Primary Education Leaving Certificate Examinations at Mtumba Primary School but that never happened after unknown assailants killed her in bizarre circumstances.

Standard Seven pupils across the country are completing their examination today.

Farida’s uncle Anderson Makuya told The Citizen’s sister paper Mwananchi that he received information that his niece had been severally beaten up by unknown assailants and that she had been taken to Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.

“She was to start her final examinations today (Wednesday). My sister has five children and Farida was the second born,” he said.

Dodoma Regional Police Commander Martin Otieno could not be reached for a comment yesterday.

On the fateful day, Farida’s mother had gone to sell traditional liquor at Mtumba.

Mr Makuya said Farida’s mother had the tendency of leaving the door unlocked for her to get in easily once back from her daily hustling at night.

He narrated further that on that day, his sister returned home at around 2am and entered the house as usual but despite being drunk, she managed to switch on the torch and realized that something was not well in the house.

“She saw blood at the place where her children normally sleep and that Farida was not there. She then followed the blood trail until she reached somewhere close to the playground where she found her daughter there. She screamed and neighbours came to help,” he said.

At that time, Farida was still breathing so they rushed her to a nearby dispensary from where she was referred to the regional referral hospital.

“It was while they were rushing her to the referral hospital that Farida breathed her last,” he said.

This is the fourth incident of such a nature in three years to happen at Mtumba, according to street leader Nathan Mlunya.

He said it was high time a police station was built at the area.

Farida’s teacher Paulo Sudai said the deceased was one of their top ten performers and that the school was confident that she would make to secondary school.

“During the school’s final examinations, she ranked eighth giving us confidence that she would sail through for her secondary studies,” he said.

“She had enough confidence and was a good representative of others. She was very smart all the time,” he added.