Roofing a house for woman is a taboo in the Mijikenda community. But for Kanze Ngowa, it is her duty since she has no one to do it for her.
The Standard caught up with Ms Ngowa on top of her house fixing the Makuti on her roof at her home in Mugumoni village in Ganze constituency.
The 45-year-old widow, has to take care of her eight children and five grandchildren.
She chose to break with tradition and fix the roof because she could not afford to hire a man.
“My husband died five years ago... My eldest son is 18 years and he went out in town to look for casual work to support his siblings. I do not have money to pay the mason and I have decided to fix the roof,” Ngowa told The Standard.
She relies on charcoal burning and working in people’s farms to provide for her family.
“Life is hard and I have been unable to educate my children. My first born son did not join secondary school after doing his KCPE because I had no money to pay his school fees. His siblings are also at home. I always pray that I get enough money to take them to school,” she said.
Ngowa did not remarry and was not "inherited" as per the Mijikenda traditions.
Kaya Rabai chairman Daniel Garero said it is the responsibility of Ngowa's in-laws to take care of the widow and her children since she has not been inherited.
“It is very bad in the Mijikenda culture for a woman to climb on top of a house and roof it. The work is meant for men. However it is happening in today’s world because the community (no longer values) its culture,” said Mr Garero.
According to the Rabai culture and traditions, a black hen must be slaughtered for cleansing if a woman does what Ngowa did.
Malindi District Cultural Association Secretary General Joseph Mwarandu said a widow is not supposed to be subjected to chores meant for men.
He said that in circumstances where the widow was unable to perform the duties on her own, she is supposed to call for a ‘kikola’, a situation where the community comes together to help one of their own.
“A widow was not left out to get in trouble and that is why our traditions called it inheritance,” said Mwarandu.
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