Where pigs and stray dogs feed on bodies of babies
The bodies of least three newborn babies are eaten by pigs and dogs every week after being dumped in Mukuru Sinai slums, residents have revealed.
They said foetuses and newborns are usually found in polythene bags or in the open.
“By the time we find the remains of the foetuses, the animals are almost through feeding on them,” Bridgit Atieno, a resident said.
Girls as young as 12 years are notorious for dumping the fetuses and newborns for fear of taking up the responsibilities that come with raising children, she said.
“They do not even mind that people will realise that they are the ones who committed the acts,” she said.
The girls, she explained, become pregnant often because they engage in prostitution to raise money to help their families.
In our tour of Lungalunga village, six girls, all less than 15 years-old were nursing newborns.
“This is an area where everyone is struggling to survive. Some parents do not even care what their children eat or where they sleep. Everyone struggles to survive,” Bridgit said.
“All forms of evil happen here. Young boys are pushed to crime because they cannot sustain themselves.
“Some are thieves, some act as murderers for hire and even drug mules,” she said adding “It is not that they want to live like that, but to survive, they must.”
Bridgit was last month, wanted by police after she helped her friend to sell a three-day-old baby for Sh1,000.
The child which was later named Blessing Mutindi was rescued by police officers from the Industrial Area Police post and her mother, Agnes Mueni was arrested.
Ms Mueni, the mother ofanother three-year-old was later remanded together with her cousin, Ruth Mueni after they failed to raise Sh50,000 bond each.
According to prosecutor, Mr Isaiah Oyoo, Ms Agnes sold the child to raise money for food, rent and maintenance of her older child.
Poverty and the structure of society were the main factors pushing women to throw away or sell their children according to Charles Ocholla, a sociologist at Maseno University.
“Taking them to court and penalising them is not enough. They need to be rehabilitated,” he said.