On Monday, June 20, there was double delight at a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) campaign event after two ladies gave birth during the gathering.
According to The Standard, the two women were part of a huge gathering that gathered at the home of Kisii UDA gubernatorial candidate Ezekiel Machogu after attending a rally in Kisii county.
The women began to have labor pains, and the elderly women there acted as midwives, successfully delivering the two kids.
Machogu vowed to look after the babies, describing their births as a blessing, and allowing their mothers to stay at his home after giving birth.
“This is a blessing to my family and I promise to give them the necessary support,” the gubernatorial hopeful told the press.
Kisii Deputy Governor, Joash Maangi, UDA coordinator Okengo Nyambane and South Mugirango Member of Parliament, Sylvanus Osoro were also in attendance.
A similar incident occurred in 2017 during the Jubilee Party rally in Embu county. Two women gave birth while attending pro-Jubilee rallies in the Kiambere area.
The incident sparked outrage over the shortage of maternity facilities in the county. The political aspirant in the region explained that the pregnant women could not resist the lure of money dished in political gatherings in an area hit hard by famine
The first birth occurred at Karuraa Secondary School during a prize-giving day, while the second woman gave birth after prolonged standing at a political rally addressed by the late President Mwai Kibaki’s aide de camp, Geoffrey King’angi.
“My campaign speech was interrupted when a healthy baby girl was born during my campaign rally. We all went home to celebrate the baby. She was named after my wife Gladys. And today happens to be our wedding anniversary. Glory to God,” King’angi stated.
The same week another baby was born during a rally at Karuraa. Mueni Kiria went to labour as the crowd waited to be addressed by Mbeere South deputy county commissioner, Beverly Opwora.
Then area Ward Representative, Lenny Masters Mwaniki, stated that the woman was rushed to a local Catholic church where she gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. Elderly women acted as midwives and they had to borrow leso (African fabric) to cover the newborn.
“It is a shame that our women give birth without dignity due to a lack of maternity facilities. We are asking the government to improve one of the dispensaries and equip it with at least five-bed,” Mwaniki stated.
