Man in Embu County pours hot water on wife's private parts

Catherine Wakere, 30, shows a wound on her right thigh sustained after her husband allegedly scalded her with hot water at her home in Kianamo village, Mbeere North sub-county. (PHOTO: JOSEPH MUCHIRI/ STANDARD)

A 30-year-old woman is nursing wounds on her private parts and thigh after her husband allegedly scalded her with hot water.

Although the the mother of two sustained the injuries two weeks ago, she only sought help yesterday, after the wounds began festering.

The woman said at around 11am on the day of the alleged attack, she was heating bath water for her husband at their home in Kianamo village, Mbeere North sub-county, when he suddenly grabbed the sufuria and threw the water on her thighs and private parts.

She says the two had not quarrelled.

Mbeere Sub-County Hospital nursing officer Sesinta Nyaga said she noticed that the woman's wounds were not fresh and on questioning her, discovered that the incident had happened two weeks earlier.

"Hers is a case of gender violence, which we reported to the police before treating her. She is now in stable condition and the wounds are healing," said Ms Nyaga.

The hospital has also alerted the Children's Department to take care of the woman's children - a two-year-old girl and a boy aged seven.

Siakago Assistant County Commissioner Benjamin Birech said the assailant, aged 36, had been arrested and would be arraigned in court once investigations were complete.

He expressed concern about the rising number of gender violence cases in the area.