Man arrested for defiling a 5-year old niece in a Thika estate.
 |
| Madam Gladys Chania (left) and two of the residents who helped rescue three kids living in distress due to their mother's chronic alcoholism. One child is still at large after being hidden by their mother. |
The man (name withheld to protect the minor’s identity), who
is the maternal uncle to the girl, is said to have repeatedly committed the act
for quite a long period.
According to the victim who is now in nursery school, the
uncle started sexually abusing her even before she joined school.
The victim’s mother is so addicted to alcoholism and barely
takes care of her 5 children aged between 11 years and the youngest who is 7
months old.
“These children survive by the grace of God and with the
help of neighbours. The mother comes home drunk every day and entertains
different men in the house in the presence of these minors,” explained one of
the concerned neighbours.
The eldest of the siblings, who is in Standard three, irregularly
attends school as in most of the times he is burdened with the responsibility
of taking care of his younger siblings as the mother is away taking cheap
alcohol in neighbouring chang’aa dens in the estate and in Majengo area.
“Last week, I never attended school since I was the one
taking care of my three siblings,” explains the 11-year old.
A concerned resident over the weekend reported the matter to
us after which we engaged Madam Gladys Chania who took the initiative to rescue the
kids.
Through the help of the Thika Children’s Office, she managed
to secure a place for them at Macheo Children’s Home in Gatuanyaga, Thika East
Sub-County.
“Unfortunately, the mother has managed to sneak away with
one of the children but we won’t rest until he too is rescued and taken to a
safe place. It’s very sad to see a mother drown in alcoholism as it is the
children who suffer most,” said Chania.
She further explained that one of the girls was taken away
from the mother to live with her aunt in Munyu village after they feared for
her safety in the hands of drunk men who frequented their home for sexual
escapades with the mother.
Chania appealed to residents to be on the lookout on such
cases in their midst and raise alarm as this would be the only way to save
them. She also condemned those who traded in cheap liquor as their activities
ruined so many homes.
“What will one gain by exposing such innocent kids to danger
in the name of earning a living? The suffering and tears from these kids will
definitely come back to you and your children,” she said.
She challenged those in authority to crash these illegal liquor
dens as they also contributed to a surge in insecurity in the area.
No comments: