×
App Icon
The Standard e-Paper
Join Thousands of Readers
★★★★ - on Play Store
Download Now

Archaic beliefs fuelling killing, abandonment of intersex children

Vocalize Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Vocalize

Baby feet. Intersex babies are often seen as a sign of looming danger and poverty in the homestead. [iStockphoto]

The birth of David (not his real name) was regarded as an evil omen. Aged barely three weeks old, his mother shoved him into a dusty sack of iron nails and dumped him at a construction site at Marereni village in Kilifi, leaving him to the elements.

The reasons for his mother's decision to shove him inside the sack are a subject of conjecture. Maybe she left him behind to suffocate or to be rescued by a well-wisher. David was born intersex in 2021.

Premium Article

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Bold Reporting Takes Time, Courage and Investment. Stand With Us.
Continue Reading  →
What you get
  • Unlimited access to all premium content
  • Ad-free browsing experience
  • Mobile-optimised reading
  • Weekly newsletters & digests
Pay via
M - PESA
VISA
Airtel Money
Secure Payments Kenya's most trusted newsroom since 1902
Rugby
Who will blink first as teams battle for Kabeberi 7s glory?
Hockey
Champions St Joseph's Kitale, Nyamira and Ng'iya off to a flying start in Tanzania
Rugby
Champs Kisii School and Upper Hill show their might in rugby 15s
Volleyball and Handball
No surprises as national champions Kesogon, Chesamisi shine in Morogoro