Caroline Achieng, a resident of Kibera, shared a distressing account of how her life took a tragic turn when her husband impregnated her daughter and the two conspired to deceive her by falsely claiming her daughter had cancer.
In an interview on Citizen TV’s “Shajara na Lulu” show, Caroline recounted how she met her husband at the young age of 22 after living with her brother under difficult circumstances. Together, they had six children and faced extreme hardships, often sleeping on the floor. Despite these challenges, Caroline clung to hope for a better future.
Caroline’s husband prevented her from working, fearing she might be seduced, and forced her to beg for food on the streets. He was a painter, and his insecurities stemmed from seeing house managers being seduced by watchmen in his line of work.
“I didn’t argue because I didn’t want to ruin my marriage. I wanted to be a good, submissive wife. I believed that eventually, all these struggles would fade away,” Caroline shared.
Eventually, her husband provided some money, allowing her to start a charcoal business, which she ran for six years. However, tragedy struck when her daughter began complaining of pain on the left side of her torso. Using savings and borrowed money, Caroline sent her daughter to Kijabe Hospital, as her husband suggested. But unbeknownst to her, this was part of their deceptive plan.
“I later realized they never went to Kijabe Hospital but instead to Naivasha, where they sought a private clinic to terminate my daughter’s pregnancy,” Caroline revealed.
The pain and symptoms her daughter described were just a cover-up for the pregnancy. The pair concocted a story that her daughter had a cancerous tumor, prompting Caroline to desperately gather funds for radiation treatment. Her husband falsely claimed financial difficulties, further exploiting Caroline’s situation.
In a heartbreaking revelation, Caroline discovered that her husband and daughter were living comfortably on her hard-earned money, while she and her other children continued to struggle. The second trip to Naivasha led to the termination of the pregnancy. Caroline, unaware of the truth, even helped her daughter take the prescribed medication, believing it was for her supposed cancer treatment.
One day, Caroline was called home from work and told her daughter was in severe pain. When she rushed home, she found her daughter seemingly fine. The truth soon came out: her daughter had aborted the four-month pregnancy, and her father had secretly disposed of it.
Her husband planned another deceitful trip for a follow-up checkup, but this time, her daughter, overcome with guilt and pain, refused. Eventually, concerned locals intervened and rescued Caroline and her daughter from this horrific situation. Her daughter finally confided in her, revealing the terrifying threats her father had made if she ever spoke out.
“My daughter was always scared to tell me because my husband told her that if she ever dared to utter a word, he would kill her,” Caroline recounted painfully.
