Martha Wangui, a mother of three has known the streets of Nakuru city to be her home for about a decade.

She was however forced out of the streets by her fellow jango’s early this year at a time when she needed them most. She had just lost what was to be her fourth child, two days after she had delivered.

The reasons for her ex communication were allegations of her involvement in a child trafficking scandal.

Read: Cheated at Birth: The military-like structure of street families in Nakuru city

After experiencing labour pains in December 19 2022, she proceeded to the Margaret Kenyatta maternity at the Nakuru level five hospital for delivery.

Here, she delivered her live baby through a caesarean section, but the doctors say the child had health problems.

Attempts to save the baby’s life failed as it passed on two days later, while receiving medical care at the new-born unit.

The news of losing the baby after enduring the challenges in the streets during pregnancy shook her to the core.

She became confused not knowing how to react to it.

When her colleagues visited her at the hospital five days after delivery, she casually delivered the news of her baby’s death which left them with questions and suspicions.

In their mind were suspicions of foul play by the hospital with circumstances pointing to possible sale of the child.

They also suspected that Ms Wangui was involved in the plan and accused her of hiding the information.

Mr Charles Opiyo the Nakuru street Children Chairman suspected that the woman had sold the child to a trafficker for Sh 1500.

Charles Opiyo interacts with some of the children on the street outside Nakuru Railway train station.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

The information angered the other members in the street who in turn treated her with disdain.

Also Read: Cheated at Birth: Inside the world of Nakuru street families, where only the fittest survive

Mr Opiyo who is responsible for issuing referrals for street children to get waivers in public hospitals was the most aggrieved with the whole idea.

In his quest to establish the truth she implored upon the woman to explain the circumstances in which she lost the baby and even used force to extract information from her.

“When I was told that the baby had died I sought to enquire from the hospital but I was not satisfied by the information they gave me. I became angry because we did not see the child. When we felt that Ms Wangui was also not telling the truth I had to use force and I gave her several slaps until she agreed to tell me where the child was,” said Mr Opiyo.

Mr Opiyo said he threatened the woman of handing her over to the police for allegedly killing the child or selling before she agreed to open up.

“She told me that a woman had approached her at the hospital and offered to buy the child at Sh 1,500. She even took us to a plot in Naka estate where she said the woman who bought the child resides,” said Mr Opiyo.

The street family’s leadership however never made a formal report to a police station apart from discussing the matter with an individual police officer who never made a follow up.

“We decided to send her away to see if she will change her ways because this is her home and we know she will tell us the truth,” said Mr Opiyo.

Ms Wangui however denied Opiyo’s claims and distanced herself from the plan.

However, she expressed reservations on the dead foetus that she was shown to be her child, noting that it was not hers.

According to her she was in pain following the surgery and could not understand how the baby had died.

“They only showed me the head which I suspected was not my baby. I kept asking questions but nobody bothered to respond to me,” she said.

The grieving mother complained that she was left alone at the hospital for three more days before she was discharged after her bill was waived.

“If I did not sell my three other children why would I sell this one and for 1500. This whole issue has really traumatized me. Sometimes I sit alone and start thinking about what happened to my child,” she said.

Ms Wangui however says she does not know whether her child was sold.

“When I told my colleagues about the death of my child, no one believed me. It was only when Mr Opiyo told me that they had information on where my child was sold that I started doubting,” said Ms Wangui.

Ms Judy Wanjiru who is the chairlady of the street children said the street family’s do not take the issue of children trafficking lightly since it is an issue that has bothered them for long.

Ms Judy Wanjiru, chairlady of street families in Nakuru during an interview with Mtaa Wangu.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

“We have people who have tried to steal children from us so we cannot allow any of us to be involved in such. We are interested in knowing the truth of what happened to Ms Wangui’s child,” said Ms Wanjiru.

Mtaa Wangu was however able to get the records from the Nakuru Level Five Hospital which confirmed that Ms Wangui was admitted and gave birth at the hospital on December 20, 2022.

Mr. Alpharxard Kemboi the Chief Nurse Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital during an interview with Mtaa Wangu on December 18, 2023.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

Mr Alphaxard Kemboi the Nursing officer at the hospital said Ms wangui delivered a baby boy through CS who was premature and had difficulty in breathing.

“The baby who had respiratory distress syndrome and was admitted to the New Born Unit where he stayed for a day before he succumbed at 2 pm,” said Mr Kemboi.

Mr Kemboi said the mother was informed alongside the father of the child who was also from the street. Their leader (Mr Opiyo) confirmed that they were his members so their bill was waived.

The Chief nurse dismissed the allegations of trafficking which he said cannot be substantiated.

“The allegations which are coming a year after the delivery are far-fetched since we have all the documents with us and can be verified to prove what had happened,” said Mr Kemboi.

According to Mr Kemboi the baby was born sickly.

opendajoseph@gmail.com

Cheated at Birth: Puzzle of Nakuru street mother who allegedly sold baby for Sh 1,500

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Joseph Openda