Jane Wacu opens up on dealing with Janet Wanja’s demise in a foreign country
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 04.01.25. | 15:06
Wacu received the news while in Seychelles where she plays for Seychellois club Cascade
Former Kenya Pipeline setter Jane Wacu is grappling with immense grief following the untimely death of her lookalike, position mate, friend, and ‘sister’ Janet Wanja.
The two shared not only a striking semblance but also a deep bond forged through years of playing together and supporting each other on and off the court.
Wacu received the news while in Seychelles where she plays for Seychellois club Cascade. Being in a foreign country, the talented player explained that no one understood or shared her pain.
“I have done many things to numb the pain of her loss. Being in a foreign country, no one understands the pain. They view it as a normal thing,” Wacu said during Wanja’s memorial service.
She sought permission from her bosses to travel and mourn her friend. Despite flight challenges, she arrived just in time, moments before Wanja’s body was taken out of the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
Wacu poured her heart out in a moving tribute.
Reflecting on their bond that began over two decades ago at Mukumu Girls, Wacu shared how Wanja had motivated her to switch from football to volleyball and supported her journey in the sport.
“She showed me how to survive the madness of Kanairo (Nairobi), even becoming my tour guide until I could manage on my own. Our nicknames for each other were Casmo for her and Casamo for me,” Wacu reminisced.
Despite occasional fights on the court, their deep connection always saw them reconcile by day’s end.
Wacu admitted this was the first time she had lost someone so close.
“Part of me is gone,” she said overwhelmed by grief.
“My condolences to her family and the volleyball fraternity. She made volleyball known in the country because of her beauty.
I’ll miss her dearly and hope she can even visit me in a dream to finish the conversations we left incomplete. Rest in peace, my sister,” she concluded amid tears.
Wacu had planned to return home from Seychelles and pay a visit to Wanja on Thursday 2 January, but that would never happen.
Wacu left Kenya Prisons Volleyball team for the Seychellois club Anse Royale Volleyball Team in 2021, then left to join league rivals Cascade in 2022. Before joining Anse Royale, she played professional volleyball for clubs in Dubai and France.
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They first met as players for their respective teams at the 2002 secondary school national championships held at Kakamega High School.
At the time, the late Wanja was a Form Four student at Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega, and Wacu was a Form One student at Tetu Girls High School in Nyeri. Both schools have dominated secondary school volleyball competitions at the national level for years.
Their next meeting was in 2004 during a national volleyball league match at Kamukunji grounds in Nyeri County. Wanja had already joined Kenya Pipeline, but Wacu was a Form Three student at Tetu Girls High School.
Wacu would then join Wanja at Kenya Pipeline in 2006. At the time, Kenya Pipeline's established setter hierarchy featured first-choice players Rhoda Liyali, Judith Serenge, and Wanja, so Wacu understudied the three for three months.
Wacu would then leave Kenya Pipeline for Kenya Prisons to take up a permanent job, but Wanja stayed behind. Wacu is a Senior Sergeant at Kenya Prisons Service.
They were teammates on the national squad from 2006 to 2017.
Many people were left confused by their identities as they had the same hairstyle and looked alike.
Wanja was laid to rest on Friday 3 January in a private ceremony at the Lang’ata Cemetery.
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