This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
On October 6, 2019, a disturbing incident occurred in Mariakani, Kilifi, where a house girl, Eunice Makena, was left nursing severe burn injuries after her boyfriend, Kelvin Makori, a matatu tout, poured paraffin on her and set her ablaze.
Makena, 25, had been dating Makori off-and-on for more than a year, but their relationship was marked by frequent disagreements. The couple had a disagreement recently, which led Makena to leave Makori's house in Tabora, Mariakani, and stay with her sister, Frida Kanario.
According to Kanario, Makori visited her house and started hurling insults at her for leaving him. He threatened to do something to Makena that she would never forget. Kanario told him to leave, but Makori warned her to collect Makena's belongings and return or he would burn them.
The next morning, Makena returned to her boyfriend's house, unaware that Makori was waiting for her with paraffin. He poured a can of paraffin on her and threw a lighted match, setting her ablaze. Makena ran to the Mariakani police station, where police and residents put out the flames.
Makori surrendered and was jailed. Makena is currently admitted to the Mariakani subcounty hospital, receiving treatment for her severe burn injuries.
This incident comes weeks after a similar incident in Nakuru, where a woman, Lucy Nyira, succumbed to her injuries after being set ablaze by her husband. Nyira, a mother of three, was receiving treatment for burns at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital but died from respiratory complications.
