Baby at centre of Akorino twins' paternity row dies in hospital

A six-day-old baby at the centre of a paternity row between two Akorino brothers has died at the JM Kariuki hospital in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County.

The baby, delivered at the same hospital a week ago, is said to have succumbed to an illness.

According to a close relative who sought anonymity, the child fell ill on Thursday, January 5, and was rushed to Kirima Dispensary in Shamata ward before being referred to JM hospital.

"The mother said the hospital did not treat the baby until after six hours when they told her that she had pneumonia," a relative said.

Recently, social media was awash with photos of the Akorino twin brothers Peter Macharia and Teddy Kimathi-each claiming to have sired the baby with Ms Emily Macharia.

On Friday, January 6, members of the Akorino sect held demonstrations outside the JM Kariuki hospital, causing chaos, and accusing the hospital of negligence.

They claimed the hospital delayed treating the infant and demanded to be told the cause of its death.

Police then intervened to calm them down.

But in a statement released on Friday by Nyandarua County Director of the Governor's press unit Mbugua Muchoki, the family and the hospital administration had agreed that the matter is investigated.

"In view of the circumstances and issues deliberated upon by the family and the hospital, we have agreed on the need to have the mother also seek medical attention in a medical facility of her choice and receive medical attention. The hospital will provide all necessary support and the family will ensure compliance" the statement read.

The county government, however, did not dwell on who the real father of the baby was.

Efforts to get comments from the twin brothers were futile as their phones had been switched off.