A family in Naivasha is seeking justice after their daughter was attacked by her husband who poured hot water on her and later stabbed her in the abdomen following a domestic row.
The mother of two was left for dead with part of her internal organs hanging out during the incident in Kayole estate along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
The husband, said to be a former AP officer and now working with Nakuru County government, has since gone into hiding with allegations that he was threatening the victim’s family.
This came as gender-based activists raised concern over an upsurge in cases of domestic violence in the town with informal settlements being the most affected.
According to the victim Pauline Wanjiku, prior to the attack, they had family differences with the husband.
Speaking from her hospital bed, she said on the day of the attack, her husband arrived home drunk, boiled water and without provocation poured it on her.
“I turned and so the water landed on my back, he then attacked me with a knife stabbing me in the stomach and left me bleeding profusely,” she said.
The small-scale trader in Naivasha town said she was rescued by neighbours, adding that she was living in fear as the suspect who had also sought treatment at the hospital, had escaped.
“He claims that as a former police officer, he has connections and cannot be arrested, we are seeking justice before he attacks another person,” she said.
Wanjiku's mother Regina Njeri said they are living in fear as the suspect was free, adding that this was not the first time he had attacked the victim.
“I'm afraid of even getting out of the house as the suspect could attack us. I am calling on the police to arrest him as my daughter has undergone untold suffering,” she said.
The victim's bother Peter Njihia, termed the suspect as very dangerous especially when drunk, adding that he had been arrested in the past on several occasions.
“The suspect is a good man but when drunk, he becomes very violent and has in the past attacked me but the issue was resolved amicably,” he said.
According to John Kinuthia from Naivasha Gender Based Networking Cluster, they had recorded over 10 cases of gender violence since the year began.
“Most of these cases are from informal settlements in Naivasha and women are the hardest hit as has been the current case,” he said.