Trans-Nzoia man kicks wife out of matrimonial home, ‘marries’ fellow man; a Mombasa native

By Richard Saka in Trans-Nzoia County

A middle-aged woman from Sirende Sub-Location in Saboti Constituency, Trans-Nzoia County is seeking justice after her husband of over 20 years kicked her out of their matrimonial home and allegedly brought in his fellow man as his partner.

Millicent Adhiambo, a mother of eight children, told K24 Digital that for the last two years-and-seven months she has been forced to spend nights in neighbours’ houses after her husband began cohabiting with his alleged lover, a youthful man from Mombasa.

“It has been two years and seven months since he (husband) ditched me. He chased me out of our matrimonial home and brought in his fellow man. The man, who has since replaced me as my husband’s partner, hails from Miritini in Mombasa.

“When he (male lover) first arrived here close to three years ago, I received him well, thinking he was my husband’s visitor. Shortly after his arrival in our matrimonial home, my spouse and his lover conspired and threw me out of the house. They, thereafter, changed all the door locks,” said Adhiambo, who is in her 40s.

“My attempts to pitch camp outside my home were met with hostility by the two, who would hurl stones at me. It got to a point my husband grievously harmed me on the shoulders by hitting me hard using firewood. My spouse and his male lover share a bedroom and always walk hand in hand,” alleged the mother of eight.

“My children are suffering, I am suffering. I am pleading with the Government to help me get justice,” said Adhiambo.

K24 Digital’s attempts to get a comment from Adhiambo’s husband bore no fruit.

Sirende Sub-Location Assistant Chief Solomon Kariuki confirmed the incident, saying he “will try as much as possible to assist the evicted mother and her children”.

“I urge the relevant authorities to assist the woman and, more importantly, the children, who have a right of parental care. I will try my best to reach out to these authorities so that the woman and her children do not suffer financially and emotionally,” said Kariuki.

Millicent’s youngest child of the eight is aged 9 years old, whereas the oldest is aged 20.

The High Court in Nairobi on May 22, 2019 upheld a law banning gay sex, keeping same sex relations punishable by 14 years in jail, drawing criticism from the United Nations and rights activists.

Kenya arrested 534 people for same-sex relationships between 2013 and 2017, according to the Government.

The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, one of the petitioners against the law, has recorded more than 1,500 such attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Kenyans since 2014.

When faced with pressure to decriminalise homosexuality in Kenya in 2015, President Uhuru Kenyatta said “gay rights is really a non-issue”, while Deputy President William Ruto said Kenya had “no room” for gays. Garissa Township MP Aden Duale once told Parliament that homosexuality was “as serious as terrorism”.