Woman held for burning kids for breaking door

A 29-year-old woman has been arrested in Nairage Enkare trading centre, Narok East Sub-county, for scolding her two children aged 14 and 11 years.

Joyce Nyambura burned the children on the buttocks with a red-hot machete for allegedly breaking the door while fighting over githeri.

The children's father Timothy Ndung’u was not home at the time of the incident.

He said Nyambura burned the children as punishment and refused to take them to hospital.

“I was called by neighbours that my children had been burned by my wife.I could not believe and had to call her but she denied that she could not do such a thing, prompting me to rush home to confirm,” said Ndung’u, a casual labourer.

When he arrived home his wife had been arrested and taken to a police station.

“I am pained.The children suffered serious burns and cannot sit down.It is sad that she did not take the children to hospital for four days,” he said.

Social worker Elizabeth Kasura from Narok Children’s office condemned the incident, citing poor parenting as a factor fuelling child abuse.

“The children were burned because they broke a door while fighting for githeri. This shows the children are not well fed,” Kasura said.

She said the children will be taken to Narok County Referral Hospital and later to a childrens’ home.

Kasura said the suspect will soon be charged with child abuse.

Ndung’u said Nyambura is a "cool" woman and he does not understand how she could hurt her children.

“I have lived with her for more than 20 years and I have never seen her beating the kids."