This archive report was first published on 25 August 2020.
Botched Intersex Surgery Leaves Voi Student Traumatized ¶
Since he was born, Ezekiel Mwaleghu, a 19-year-old form-one student at Bughuta Secondary school in Voi sub-county, grew up knowing he was a normal boy like any other.
However, around October 2018, while in class seven, he noticed disturbing changes his body was undergoing. The most prominent was the transition of his flat boyish breast into becoming fuller; more rounded; more feminine. Even the nipples were more elongated.
He told a few trusted friends about the changes, but they dismissed it as normal. They advised him to squeeze the nipples extremely hard with two pieces of wood to stop the breast from growing. Mwaleghu took their advice, but the breasts grew bigger.
As a candidate in class eight last year, his breasts had fully developed. He took to wearing baggy shirts and jackets to conceal their size, but it was too late. Other children in school were whispering, and the villagers were staring harder than usual.
It was not until he disclosed the body changes to his father that he discovered the shattering news. His father told him of a corrective surgery done to him at infancy by doctors at Kijabe Mission Hospital, an operation he had no recollection of.
Mr. Nyange Mwachia, the father, is equally bewildered but puts up a strong face for the sake of his frightened child. He explains that his son, born in 2001, had both male and female genitals. The doctors at Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi referred the case to Coast General Hospital in Mombasa, where several tests and X-rays were done.
The visiting doctors recommended the operation for the infant at Kijabe Mission Hospital, and the corrective procedure was successful. The parents also had Mwaleghu circumcised at the same time.
However, the surgery seems to have failed, and Mwaleghu is now struggling to cope with the aftermath. He has taken to hiding in his room all day to avoid the public, and his family is reaching out to well-wishers to assist in helping him undergo another procedure.
According to Kenya's 2019 Population and Housing Census, the country registered 1,524 intersex individuals. Mwaleghu's family is now facing the reality of his condition, and they are seeking help to ensure he receives the necessary medical attention.
