Poisoning effects linger on in children’s murder

By Kenan Miruka

"Why do you want us to talk about that tragedy? The sores it left are still with me," says Obadiah Obaigwa Ongori, 67, when I mention the incident.

After some convincing, Obaigwa narrates the incident that nearly wiped an entire extended family. "I don’t want to see the pictures. They stir a painful reality," he says, suppressing tears.

The incident took place at Botibigi-Rionsato, a remote village in Gucha South District on July 16, 2005.

Mr Obaigwa lost four family members among them his daughter after they took sour milk laced with poison.

A cow belonging to Mrs Bathsheba Moraa had just calved. Two days later, she left for Molo to see her husband leaving the cow in the hands of her co-wife.

Observing customs

Moraa returned after four days and gave the sour milk to the extended family. What followed was a tragedy that shocked the nation.

"We retired for the night after consuming the milk. Some family members reported experiencing stomach problems at 5am. I travelled in the morning but I developed a running stomach at around 1pm," recalls Obaigwa.

"I thought it was malaria but when I returned home, I was shocked to find family members being ferried to hospital on wheelbarrows," he explains. "There were no roads in our village then."

Earlier, other members who had gone to church at Kebabe returned home after experiencing running stomachs.

"The sick were rushed to a dispensary. There was no medication and we were later transferred to Gucha district hospital," Obaigwa recalls.

Forty-seven people were hospitalised for four days. That evening, two children, Elizabeth Otieno and Lameck Ratunyi aged 12 and 8 died.

The following morning, another two children aged 5 and 8 died.

"My son only used a cup that had been used by someone else. He was among the worst affected," remembers Mrs Mauti.

Medical staff at the hospital were overwhelmed by the number of victims besides lacking essential drugs.

A team led by then Nyanza Provincial Medical Officer of Health and now West Mugirango MP Dr James Gesami arrived with medical supplies to save the people.

"My mother, Agnes Kwamboka, 75, almost died before the medical team arrived. Dr Gesami asked to examine her after which she was given medicine and she survived," Obaigwa explains.

"She vomited some dark substance at the hospital compound and the grass dried where she vomited," he adds.

Government agents took samples of both the sour milk and fresh milk for tests.

When the last group was discharged five days later, the deceased were given a tearful burial.

"We later heard that the milk was laced with some chemicals. We never got an official communication or follow up after that," says Peter Mauti who lost a daughter.

Weird prayers

Three days after the burial, a 38-year-old woman was allegedly found at the graves begging forgiveness. "I was serving guests who came to console us when I was called to witness the spectacle. She said she didn’t know what she was doing," says a family member.

Villagers lynched her. Obaigwa says there had been a family feud between the lynched woman and Mr Bathsheba Moraa, the cow owner, over an incestuous relationship between their children.

Area assistant chief David Kenyanya says a report released to the media indicated that the milk had poison which may have fuelled the lynching.

"After the lynching, government agencies stopped investigations. All interest in the case was lost," says Mr Mauti.

Four years after the tragic event, the 43 survivors are yet to recover psychologically and physically.

"Some completely stopped consuming milk. Most of my family members complain of recurrent stomachache. We never healed completely. Some children still complain of pain in the eyes raising fears that they may lose their eyesight," Mauti says.

Last month, he visited Kisii Level Five Hospital for consultation and was advised to take the family for check up. "I know it is necessary but I can’t afford to take all of them. The Government should help us," he adds.

"My son can’t read at night and this has affected his performance in school," laments Mauti.

Gucha District Public Health Officer Mr James Obae says samples of the sour milk were taken to laboratories in Nairobi for analysis but the results were negative.

"We wanted to rule out naturally occurring poison (Clostridium species) that can be found in soil. The results were negative but we gave the CID samples of the milk for chemical analysis. I don’t know their results," Obae explains.

The officer says he has never heard of poisoning effects recurring adding that that was the first case. He, however, admits that no follow up has been made.

Gucha Officer Commanding Police Division Richard Ng’etich says he is not aware of the case.