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City dad on the verge of losing fifth child to same disease

February 21st, 2019 2 min read

A Dagoretti based father of six has lost four of his children, his wife has deserted him and is on the verge of losing his fifth child to kidney failure.

Samuel Muigai Muraya’s troubles started in 2010 when his then 15-year-old son, Harrison Muraya, died two weeks after he manifested fever, cold and flu symptoms.

His third born son, Dickson Njoroge, died two years later after being diagnosed with kidney failure and months later, the second born, Winnie Njoki, succumbed to kidney failure as well.

Muigai’s fifth born son, Evans Waweru, also died in June 2018, five years after the family had moved from their Kiambu rural home to Dagoretti and for the two weeks he had been hospitalized for breathlessness and swelling, no diagnosis had been made.

KIDNEY FAILURE

His last born son, Erick Mburu, is currently battling kidney failure and Muigai, who has become a single parent after his wife ran away in August 2018, has been forced to become a stay at home father to take care of his ailing son.

The family requires Sh400,000 for kidney transplant and doctors have already confirmed through blood tests that Muigai can donate one of his kidneys to his son.

Donations can be sent through paybill number 891300, account number Muigai.

Muigai, who is jobless, has been relying on well-wishers for his son’s daily meals, dialysis and medication.

HEALTHY CHILD

“I had to quit my day job of selling plastics when my last born became unwell just a month after my wife had packed and left our house. We now rely on neighbours, church members and relatives to afford food even just yesterday I received Sh500 from a friend via Mpesa just when I was wondering what we would eat,” Muigai told Nairobi News.

The family’s only healthy child, Dennis Gitau, is in form two at a local secondary school and often assists his father in taking care of his sick brother.

“We have survived by God’s Grace, there is no day we have slept hungry as our church members at Church of Restoration Mutuini has been supportive,” he explained.

Muigai’s father is blind while his mother suffers from diabetes and pressure.