A 33-year-old woman from Kigane Village, Meru County, is recovering at the Consolata Hospital in Nkubu after she was slashed with a machete by her husband who accused her of infidelity.

Ms Eunice Kambura lost two fingers in the attack.

She said she had been having issues with her husband, Mr David Gitonga Nyamu, a boda-boda rider.

Following a quarrel on Friday night, he allegedly retrieved a machete, which had been tucked under the bed, shaved her hair with it and, in the process, cut off part of her right ear.

When she raised the alarm, he struck her with the sharp panga, slashed her right hand and chopped off two fingers.

He also slashed her on the back and head.

As he aimed at her leg, she blocked the panga with her left hand, which severed the entire bone leaving it hanging by the skin.

“I raised the alarm but he had already locked the door. His brothers broke the door and rescued me. I ran off to his mother’s house,” she recounted.

Ms Kambura, who has been married for the last 10 years, says she has endured constant squabbles but never thought they would escalate to her being attacked with a panga.

Squabbles

The couple has an eight-year-old child who is in Class Two.

“We have been having squabbles but I never suspected anything of this magnitude would happen. On the material day, we had spent the day peacefully. My life has been ruined because I was working for myself but now there is nothing I can do for myself. I would like to urge fellow women to be on the lookout. If you are being threatened with death, walk out,” she said weakly.

Her husband has since gone into hiding.

Ms Purity Muchai, a village mobiliser, said Ms Kambura had earlier reported cases of domestic wrangles.

Hospital matron Julia Muthomi says Ms Kambura arrived unconscious and suffered deep cuts in the head, back, hands and abdomen but some had not been stitched since she required blood transfusion.

“She is a bit stable but requires blood and pain management. She requires blood transfusion before going to the theatre because she lost a lot of blood,” she said.

Ms Mercy Chidi Baidoo, the executive director of Ripples International that rescues abused women and children, said cases of domestic violence in Meru that resulted in grievous harm had increased.

“The men, who would usually come home late, are arriving early due to the curfew and with less earnings,” she explained.

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