By OSINDE OBARE
Trans Nzoia, Kenya: Drama unfolded during a meeting in Cherangany in Trans Nzoia County when a schoolgirl disrupted proceedings and dumped her son allegedly sired by a chief.
The girl sauntered to the podium and presented the year-old baby to the assistant chief, accusing the administrator of neglecting her and the child.
The meeting was halfway through when the girl, a pupil at Sitatunga Primary School in Trans Nzoia East District stepped in and left the infant with the assistant chief.
“You impregnated me and I gave birth to the baby. Your son has stressed me because I don’t have money to buy him food and clothes. It is time for you to take responsibility and don’t bother about me,” the girl thundered as she handed over the baby to the chief in front of the huge crowd at Kapsara market.
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After dropping off the baby boy, the girl walked away to the embarrassment of the administrator, amid a jeering crowd.
The meeting was abruptly called off as the baby wailed upon realising his mother had abandoned him.
Elders at the meeting were dumbfounded after witnessing the turn of events.
“It is shameful and unfortunate that such a thing has happened. I cannot believe that the chief is the father of the baby ‘dumped’ here. It is unimaginable that the chief ruined the education of the young girl,” an elder, John Njoroge, said as he walked home after disruption of the meeting.
Highly kept secret
The administrator had convened the baraza to discuss crime and other issues such as high school dropout rates in the area, but little did he know that his highly kept secret was to be exposed.
Murmuring to himself, the administrator carried the baby to a nearby hotel where he ordered for food and fed the hungry infant, attracting a crowd that thronged to the eatery to get a glimpse of the administrator’s parenting skills.
According to a resident, the girl dropped out of school in Class Seven after the chief allegedly impregnated her following an illicit affair.
From the hotel, the chief moved with the baby to a shop where he purchased clothes for his alleged son.
Caught up in the compromising situation, the chief approached the girl’s parents and persuaded them not to take the matter to the legal authorities.
According to a source who attended the negotiation, the chief pleaded with the girl and her parents to agree to settle the matter privately, arguing that his job was at stake if the issue is handled legally.
Forgiveness
“I beg for forgiveness. Honestly, I don’t know what mislead me to sleep with your daughter. Let us settle this matter out of the public eye because my job will be in jeopardy,” he pleaded.
The girl was, however, bitter with the administrator over his failure to provide chid support.
“I look like a fool following you around begging for money for upkeep of our baby. You ruined my education and you better go away with the baby,” the furious girl told the chief as he tried to settle the matter out of court.
The girl’s mother prevailed upon her daughter to give them time to handle the matter.
“My daughter, I know the chief has offended you but let us iron the matter in an amicable manner instead of shaming him in public,” the woman requested her daughter.
An agreement was reached when the administrator heeded compensation demands by the girl’s parents.
He immediately paid Sh50,000 and pledged to sell two bulls to pay the remaining balance of Sh100,000.
The incident has, however, seen residents wonder loudly whether this is becoming conduct of a chief.
