Kisii woman's hand chopped off over land dispute

Ms Eunice Nyakwara is a woman in great pain after her hand was severed by her brother-in-law over a land dispute.

The 30-year-old woman who is recuperating at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital is at pains to narrate her Saturday ordeal.

“My brother-in-law Ogaro Ondieki sharpened the panga he used to chop off my hand in my presence, but I did not know he was to use it on me. He slashed off my hand and ran away,” said Ms Nyakwara, a mother of two.

At the time, her husband had gone out to do manual jobs.

LAND DISPUTE

Ms Grace Nyaboke said her sister had quarrelled with her in-laws on Friday over their piece of land which measures about two acres.

“We still have the severed hand here with us. It is traumatising,” said Ms Nyaboke who was taking care of her sister at the hospital.

Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Enock Ondari said the patient is out of danger after she underwent ‘surgical toilet’ on Saturday.

Surgical wound toilet involves cleaning the skin with antiseptics, irrigation of wounds with saline and surgical debridement of all dead tissue and foreign objects.

“We attended to her immediately she was brought here. She many need a prosthesis which in this case is an artificial hand,” said Dr Ondari. 

He said they will link up the patient with the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK) for further help.

RUNAWAY SUSPECT

He said the matter is being investigated by police and authorities are tracing the assailant who went into hiding soon after committing the heinous act.

“Police are on the case. The patient is being treated for free because at this facility, we do not charge for cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV),” said Dr Ondari adding that they are discussing alternative safe places for the victim after being discharged.

He explained that the hospital treats cases of GBV for free to encourage victims to come forward and seek help.

The incident which happened at Sengera-Bosoti village in Kisii County has left locals shocked.

Kisii Woman Rep Janet Ong’era visited the patient and promised to follow up on the matter to ensure justice for victims of GBV in the county.

“I am saddened by the animosity against this mother. I will be on her case and will ensure justice for her as I help out on her other needs,” said Ms Ong’era who visited the woman on Monday.

GBV CRIMES

Land is an emotive issue in Kisii given the shrinking land sizes and a rapidly growing population.

Police say 80 percent of murder cases in Kisii are land related.

About 200 cases of GBV are reported every month at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital involving both sexes but women are most affected.

Rape and defilement are the major forms of GBV in Kisii County.

Police records indicate that at least 266 girls were defiled and 27 women raped between January and November last year.

The reported cases are pending in court, most of them incest cases by close relatives.