Police in Nakuru East have arrested the county’s former deputy mayor, Joseph Munyiri, on allegations of causing grievous bodily harm to his wife, Joyce Wangui.
The couple’s fight started after Munyiri, 36, on Monday afternoon (April 27) allegedly went to his spouse’s electronics shop in Menengai Ward, Nakuru East and sold a 32-inch TV set to his friend at Ksh2, 000 without his wife’s knowledge or approval.
Munyiri is also said to have failed to record the sale of the TV set in the sales record-keeping book, prompting his wife, 36, to ask him why he hadn’t registered the transaction.
Later Monday evening, when Munyiri and his partner returned home, the ex-deputy mayor is said to have descended on Wangui with kicks and blows, causing her dental trauma and grievous injuries to the face and ears.
The suspect is alleged to have been angered after his partner “challenged his authority as the head of the family in front of his friends”.
Wangui, who has sought treatment at Nakuru Mediheal Hospital, told police that it wasn’t the first time her spouse was meting out violence on her.
“He has anger problems. While beating me up yesterday (Monday, April 27), he threatened he would kill me. He even followed me to hospital as I went to seek treatment,” said Wangui.
“He often brags that he is the man of the house, whose authority shouldn’t be questioned by his wife. He often says he has a right to sell anything at my shop without seeking my consent,” said Wangui.
The two have been married for over 15 years, and have seven children together.
Munyiri is being held at a Menengai police station.
“I urge the Government to ensure I get justice,” said Wangui.
The former deputy mayor vied for Menengai Ward Jubilee Party ticket in the run-up to 2017 general election, but lost.
Ever since, he has been making a living out of selling second-hand clothes in Nakuru Town.
A report by the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) shows that 85 per cent of domestic violence victims in the world are women.
In Kenya, 40 per cent of all married women have been abused at one point or another in their relationship, a figure that is higher than the global average of 30 per cent.
