29-year-old Trans Nzoia tout razes parents’ house for refusing his polygamy plans

A Trans Nzoia man has torched his parents' house for opposing his plans to marry a second wife.

A man set fire to his parents' house in Trans Nzoia when they turned down his proposal to take a second wife.

The 29-year-old tout has gone underground after destroying the three-room semi-permanent house in Flamingo village, Kiminini sub-county.

Trouble started at the weekend when the man told his mother that he was bitter about their refusal to support his plans soon after they arrived from church.

Sofa set

"Now that you have refused to let me go ahead with my plans to marry a second wife I'm going to burn this house," the man reportedly told his mother.

He then set on fire a sofa set.

His younger sister managed to put out the fire as their mother and neighbours tried to reason with him.

After several hours of persuasion and intervention by neighbours, the man left and went to his room, where he stayed until the following morning. Then he went back to his parents' house armed with petrol in a jerrycan.

In the morning

According to his mother, the man arrived at her house in the morning and dared anyone to stop him.

"The war is not over. I must bring this house down and I dare anybody to come near me," he declared before sprinkling petrol in one of the rooms and setting it on fire.

Walked away

As the inferno spread, the suspect walked away, leaving his mother and siblings watching in disbelief.

Neighbours rushed to the home to help put out the fire, but they were unable to salvage any property.

"He was hostile to us and threatened anybody who dared to try to put out the fire. After ensuring that the fire had engulfed the house, he walked away," said his mother.

His father blamed his son's behaviour on drug abuse.

"We suspect he could be using drugs. He has been wasted and is a big liability to the family,"  he said.

Deputy County Commissioner Enock Nyarango appealed to the public to help police arrest the suspect.

"He became hostile when his parents opposed his plans to marry a second wife. We are pursuing him," said the administrator.