Defiled girl’s plight attracts droves of well wishers

By PHILIP MUASYA

Kitui, Kenya: Well-wishers have been beating the path to Mwende’s doors to come to her assistance following the story of her harrowing rape ordeal in last week’s The Standard on Sunday. They include Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, Senator Naisula Lesuuda, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and the Red Cross.

“This is terrible…terrible, the perpetrators must be brought to justice,” said Kalonzo after meeting Mwende at Mwingi Red Cross office. “No wonder she wants to be a policewoman; so she can deal with such brutalities,”  he observed.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu sent her team to evacuate Mwende for treatment only to find that the Red Cross had beaten her to it, while Senator Naisula Lesuuda telephoned  those who are looking after her and offered to help.

By the time these groups had moved to intervene, the Red Cross team had already arrived at Kaloo Village.

Following The Standard on Sunday article on her ordeal, Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Abbas Gullet instructed his Mwingi team to pick Mwende as their first assignment on Monday morning.

The Red Cross had already booked a specialist doctor at Kenyatta National Hospital waiting on standby to receive Mwende for comprehensive medical tests and treatment. The team endured a three-kilometre hilly trek through bush pathways to get to Mwende’s home.

Also in this team were Endui Chief Samuel Maithya and Mwingi Business Community and Professionals Forum coordinator Campbell Munyambu.

On learning that they had visitors, Mwende, weak and wobbly,  emerged from her father’s hut, unaware she was the cause of the commotion.

Her father, Zakayo Muthemba, who had been taking care of  the girl after his wife eloped with her defiler three years ago, joined Mwende.

The Red Cross team of Husna Lukoye and Priscilla Musai washed her and changed her clothes in readiness for the journey to Nairobi. Mathembe and the girl’s grandmother Mbisu Mengi were overwhelmed. “I feel like a heavy load has been lifted off my shoulders. I pray that she gets well and goes back to school,” Muthemba said.

Mwende’s  horrific story in the  The Standard on Sunday triggered an avalanche of  tweets. Nerisa Kiruki-Karicho wrote: “The story on Mwende is too traumatising. How can it be? Please let me know how I can contribute towards her treatment. I’m hurting, especially now that my daughter is 15. I can’t imagine someone doing that to her.”

And Tilomai Ponder Blyth wrote, “I read the sad story of Mwende’s ordeal and I wish to help. I live in Nairobi, run a US-based NGO and work with local NGOs here who focus on girl-child empowerment. I won’t rest until I see how this deserving girl can be helped. Help me get in touch with Mwende so I can begin the process of assisting her.”

Jane Kimani noted: “Your story about Mwende is a sad one. She is a wounded girl and needs urgent help.”

Zabibu Centre, which caters for destitute and abused children, offered to pay for Mwende’s education, accommodation and counselling. “She will also benefit from therapy and a loving Zabibu fraternity,” they wrote.