Maurice Vitinyu Mwashi with his two sons/WKT
A single father from Koromaiti Village in Chekalini Ward, Lugari Sub-County, Kakamega County, is contemplating suicide and killing his children after the family went for three days without food.
The 55-year-old man, Maurice Vitinyu Mwashi, revealed that the children, whom he has been raising single-handedly for five years after his wife left him, have been forced out of school due to their dire situation, exacerbated by a lack of food and money.
The children have not had anything to eat since Monday. A representative of the Western Kenya Times who visited his home on Thursday confirmed that the family needs urgent help.
Mr. Vitinyu, popularly known as Kenyatta, said his wife eloped with a boda boda rider after branding him a destitute and unfortunate man. The dejection made him not look for another woman who would help him look after the children.
His two sons, one 12-year-old and the other 10-year-old, are in Grade IV at Mukavane Primary School. The other child, a 13-year-old girl, is in Grade VII at Mayoyo Primary School. Their pursuit of knowledge has been mercilessly halted due to the family’s desperate circumstances.
His situation is unbearable. For example, he is forced to walk every day all the way from his village to Lugari Station, a distance of about 7 kilometers, looking for menial jobs to get some money and food for his children.
“I haven’t found any work to do today (Thursday). I usually work on people’s farms to raise some money to feed my kids. It’s becoming difficult for me and I am even thinking of dying with my three children to escape this misery,” said the father of five, whose two elder daughters are now married.
Not only is his mental health at risk, but also his physical wellbeing. Both his hands have injuries, one of which is dislocated as a result of the hard work. He has not sought medical attention for lack of money to visit a health facility.
Mr. Vitinyu does anything that can put food on the table, including selling avocados from a tree on his half-acre plot.
His farm is not very productive because almost three-quarters of it is covered in rock. He planted some maize this season, but he won’t harvest much because he did not have money to buy fertilizer for topdressing.
After trying to look for work today without success, Mr. Vitinyu knocked at the door of Protus Wamula, his friend who stays at Lugari Station Market, and asked for any kind of help.
“His house leaks from the roof, and honestly, his condition is the worst I have seen anyone else undergo. He needs urgent help, and we really need to do something,” Mr. Wamula said.
Moved by the harrowing circumstances that Maurice and his children face, the Western Kenya Times has resolved to launch a fund drive. The initiative aims to mobilize support from local leaders, readers, and compassionate individuals, with the primary goal of securing food for the family, renovating their house, and clearing his children’s fee arrears.
To contribute to this noble cause and provide sustenance for Maurice’s family, please channel your contribution to M-Pesa number 0712169191 (Protas Wamula). Even the smallest contribution, starting from as little as Sh50, will make a significant impact in brightening their lives during this trying period.
Sam Oduor is the editor-in-chief at the Western Kenya Times who leverages the power of the Internet in telling stories that shape opinions.
Nabbing Nabwera Mp, swing into action as an emergency, as contributions take time