A 30-year-old mother of two from Kianamu Village in Embu County, Kenya, is
nursing serious burns on her thighs and private parts after her husband
poured hot water on her.
Catherine
Wakere was taken to Siakago Level Four Hospital last Wednesday, two
weeks after the attack. Her upper right thigh and her private parts had
started developing infections when she was taken to the hospital.
According to the hospital’s Nursing Officer Secinta Nyaga, the woman was only taken to
hospital when a neighbour learnt of the cruel
assault. Ms Wakere said her husband, Charles Njiru, 36, had without any provocation, poured boiling water on her. Around
11am
on that fateful day, she was heating water for him when he suddenly
grabbed a bowl, scooped the water and threw it on her thighs and private
parts.
"He just scooped water that was boiling and splashed it on my thighs.
He had aimed at my private parts, which were partly scalded," she said.
Ms Nyaga said the wound had deteriorated due to the lengthy stay without medication but her condition has since improved.
"Hers
is a case of gender violence, which we reported to the police before
treating her. The wound was in a very bad state since it appeared to
have stayed
for two weeks without being treated. If it was a fresh would it would
have healed. She is now in a stable condition." she said.
Ms Wakere’s left thigh also bears another scar of a healed burn
injury while she has two broken fingers, all said to have been inflicted
by the husband. She had also told doctors that her fingers broke when she fell.
The
hospital has also alerted the Children's Department to take care of the
victim's children, a two-year-old girl and a boy, seven. Her mother,
Daisy Muthoni, who is looking after her in hospital, said
she was afraid of visiting her daughter’s home due to the cruelty of
her husband.
News
of the assault caused uproar among women leaders in Embu, with
county assembly gender committee chairperson Peninah Mutua calling on
police to crack down on perpetrators of gender violence. Mbeere North
Assistant County Commissioner, Benjamin Birech said the man has been
arrested and will be taken to court once
his wife files an official complaint. He said the woman had reported
being repeatedly beaten up and sexually harassed by the man.
"We will charge him with causing grievous harm. She says that the man
beats her regularly. He is reported to be a habitual user of bhang and
miraa," said Mr Birech, adding that the man could have been under the
influence of drugs when he poured hot water on his wife."
