My wife scalded me, says man

JOSEPH KANYI | NATION
Mr Francis Muchiri, 34, at Mukurweini District Hospital on February 12, 2012. The father of two sustained serious burns after his wife allegedly poured hot water on him at their Ruiru home.

What you need to know:

  • Woman denies attacking husband, saying he fell in hot bathing water after coming home late

Another man in Nyeri County came out on Sunday to speak over what he termed as an attack from his wife that left him with severe burns.

Mr Francis Muchiri, 34, is being treated at Mukurwe-ini District Hospital with serious burns, after he was allegedly scalded by his wife Agnes Wanjiru, 26, at their home in Ruiru.

Although details of any differences that existed between the couple, who have three children are scanty, Mr Muchiri said he woke up to burning sensation, and later learnt it was the wife that had poured hot water on him while he slept.

“There were no existing differences between us and indeed I love my wife very much, but this attack has got me thinking over whether to institute a divorce,” he said.

His face, back, and arms were badly burnt, and after initially being rushed to a private hospital in Ruiru, he was transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi for specialised treatment after it was observed the burns were extensive. It was while he was attending a review at Mukurwe-ini District Hospital, his home area, that he got admitted after it was discovered some of the wounds were becoming septic.

But Mrs Wanjiru denied that she attacked her husband, saying he fell in hot bathing water.

“He arrived home late and was getting late for work. I remember him wanting to take a shower then I heard him screaming and called the neighbours and we took him to hospital,” she said.

Speaking to the Nation on phone, Mrs Wanjiru said he fell in the bath water, sustaining the burns. But Mr Muchiri claimed that she had confessed to attacking him.

The allegation comes in the wake of another incident in which Mr Simon Kiguita, 40, was admitted to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital after his wife allegedly slashed him with a panga. Mrs Juliana Wairimu, 26, has since been arrested.

The wife even stated to hospital authorities that her husband fell in bathing water, allegations which the husband firmly refutes.

“She wants us to settle the issue both of us, but that is someone I will have to consider once I am out of hospital,” he said.

Mr Muchiri, who works as a machine operator at the Brookside Dairy plant in Ruiru, said he arrived home at about 11pm, and was given supper by his wife, which he ate.

However, when retiring to bed, he enquired about what appeared to be food boiling on the jiko, but never got an answer, and decided to brush off the matter and head to the bedroom.

The victim refutes the wife’s explanation saying if it was true he fell in bath water, there was no way he could have sustained the injuries on his back.

Their 11 year-old daughter admitted that her father was attacked with hot water by the mother, according to Mr Muchiri.

Cases of men being battered by their wives have recently caught attention as it goes against what has been the norm, which is aggression against women. (READ: Central Kenya ‘top husband-beaters’)

The magnitude of the injuries have also raised eyebrows, and presented the need to find lasting solutions to end violence in the family.

The allegation comes in the wake of another incident in which Mr Simon Kiguita, 40, was admitted to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital after his wife allegedly slashed him a panga. (READ: Husband lucky to be alive after panga attack)

His wife Juliana Wairimu, 26, has since been arrested and is assisting police with investigations. (READ: Police arrest woman over panga attack)

Maendeleo ya Wanaume organisation chairman Nderitu Njoka has called for development programmes to uplift the welfare of men, saying the growing emphasis on women empowerment seemed to entrench women believe that they could control their men.

“There seems to be systemic neglect of men by the government and it would be a good starting point if the growing gap between the two genders in terms of empowerment programmes was bridged as a way of ensuring there is equity in the family,” he said.