The events of October 3, 2023 night in Sondu – at the Kisumu-Kericho border – will forever remain embedded in the minds of Masline Akinyi and her family.
A group of rowdy youth, believed to be from the neighbouring Kericho County, raided homes in Sondu, Nyakach Sub-County, killing and maiming residents.
Unfortunately for Masline, her home was one of those raided. With wanton impunity, the youth captured her husband Kevin Bondo and left the house with him, striking terror to the wife and their children.
Brutal Sondu attack
“Walienda kumpiga na kumkatakata… alikatwa shingo na kichwa mara kadhaa. Wakamwacha hali mahututi wakidhani washamuua,” Masline narrates.
The aftermath of the attack… the high school teacher was left unconscious, sustaining deep injuries to his head, neck and jaw. So merciless were the youth that they tried to slit his throat.
“Nilimpata amelala hapo amepoteza fahamu lakini bado yuko hai… nikatafuta vijana tukampeleka Nyabondo Hospital. Nyabondo Hospital wakasema hawataweza. Wakatuambia tumpeleke Aga Khan Hospital,” Masline narrates.
At the Aga Khan ICU
It was at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu that Bondo was given the much-needed medical attention that saved his life.
The high school teacher is currently admitted at the Aga Khan Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
However, Kennedy Ochieng’, the brother to the victim, cannot fathom how people could attack a man he describes as “innocent, down to earth and God-fearing”.
“Ni kijana very innocent, mpole na anampenda mungu. Ni watu gani wanahusika na haya mambo? Ni vijana wadogo wadogo sana, wanatoa wapi ujasiri ya kuvamia na kuua watu?”
All in all, the family is thankful that their kin survived the brutal attack, but are worried of the ever-increasing hospital bills.
“Tunashukuru mungu kwa sababu madaktari wamefanya kazi nzuri waliofanya kumtibu, lakini tunahofia bill ya hospitali itakuwa ya juu sana. Tunaomba well-wishers, marafiki na serikali ya Kisumu County na KUPPET waweze kutusaidia,” he pleads.
