Nandi girl walks 50km to flee forced marriage

20 year old Jackline Chepkorir and her 86 year old grandmother Annah Chumba who is protecting her after she fled her home when her father planned to marry her off to an unknown man. Chumba is afraid she may not protect the form four graduate from her parents any longer. [PHOTO/RAEL JELIMO/STANDARD]

NANDI COUNTY: Two weeks ago, Jackline Chepkorir, walked over 50km fleeing her parents' home in Chepkunyuk for fear of being married off.

Speaking to The Standard, the 20-year-old completed her secondary school education last year at Kapropita Girls High School, scoring a B grade in KCSE examinations.

Her hopes of pursuing further education were dashed after her poor father told her to get married because he could not afford to pay college fees.

However, harbouring an ambitious dream to become a professor, Chepkorir rejected her father's intimidation and coercion into an early marriage.

She said her father became increasingly violent and hostile demanding that she get married or leave her family home.

"He would veil his anger with alcohol, but I realised his intentions were real when he could no longer hide his intentions to marry me off," she said.

When things became unbearable at home, the first-born in a family of seven decided to flee to her 86-year-old grandmother's house located over 100km away in Simbi, Lessos. She walked half the distance and accepted a motor-cycle lift from a well-meaning rider.

"My granddaughter walked through my door two weeks ago tired and distressed. She had walked many kilometers to get away from her parents who are trying to force her into marriage," her grandmother, Annah Chumba, said.

Chumba said while she is glad to house Chepkorir, she is concerned that she may not be able to protect her from her parents' wrath.

STRONG WILLED

"I am old and frail. Who will protect my granddaughter from her own parents? I am afraid they will come and forcibly take her away," she said.

The elderly lady who termed her granddaughter as 'strong willed' expressed regret that Chepkorir has had a difficult life.

"This is not the first time my grandchild is seeking help. When she completed her primary education five years ago, her parents wanted her to do menial jobs in tea plantations around Nandi-Hills because they claimed they could not pay her school fees," she said.

Chepkorir was however, rescued by Equity Bank's Wings to Fly programme who sponsored her secondary school education.

Our attempts to reach out and talk to Chepkorir's parents were unsuccessful since they were hostile and unwelcoming.

Simbi area Chief Peter Kisorio said he is not aware of the girl's plight but paid a visit to the grandmother's home to confirm the incident.

Gender Executive Patrick Sang also said they have not received any report of the girl's plight but would send a representative to look into her plight.

"We have rare cases of forced marriages in Nandi, this is a first in a long time," Sang said.

Chepkorir's is now asking for assistance from well-wishers to protect her from her parents and help her realise her dreams.