A Kenyan man on Wednesday evening allegedly killed his wife in Nyeri County after a suspected domestic feud and tried to set her body on fire before fleeing from the scene.

The body of the woman, identified as Grace Nyambura and a mother of two, was found lying on a bed with bedding partially burnt in a one-roomed rental house at around 4.30pm.

When the Nation arrived at the scene, hundreds of curious neighbours and onlookers had milled around the scene.

The woman’s body had a fresh stab wound on the head and some blood-stained clothes and bedding were strewn around the room.

Residents said they were attracted by smoke that was billowing from the room and upon breaking the door, which was locked from outside, they were shocked when they found the lifeless body of the woman.

They then called firefighters who arrived in time and put out the fire.

The assailant, who is on the run, was identified by the police as Simon Nderitu.

According to the landlady, Ms Esther Nyambura Wachira, the couple rented the house two months ago and neighbours said they had been engaging in constant quarrels.

Ms Wachira said she always knew the couple as husband and wife although she was not aware of any domestic issues.

But other neighbours claimed the couple have had constant quarrels, sometimes leading to fights.

“On Tuesday the grandmother of the two children came and took them away. We suspect she wanted to take them to a safe place following the bad blood between the husband and wife it’s unfortunate it has ended this way,” said a visibly shaken neighbour who asked not to be named.

Police are on the manhunt for the suspect.