A landlord in Kahoya estate, Uasin Gishu County sought to take matters into his own hands after he locked a mother and her ailing daughter in their house for failing to pay rent for 3 months.
Reports indicate that the mother, Brigit Achieng was busy preparing lunch when the landlord came to demand his rent arrears which amounted to Ksh20,000.
An argument ensued after which the landlord locked up the house without giving the mother a chance to save her ailing daughter.
Fortunately, through nearby residents' intervention, a village elder came to their rescue and broke the door.
According to Achieng, she had initially spoken to the landlord to allow her to pay the rent in small amounts of Ksh2,000 on a weekly basis.
She stated she felt relieved as she thought that they had found an amicable arrangement.
Achieng added that much to her dismay, each time she made a payment, he would issue her with an ultimatum of either paying the full amount or vacating the premises.
The troubled mother claimed the threats demoralised her, saying most of her earnings covered the medical expenses for her ailing daughter.
“My daughter has a sore in her leg which hasn’t healed for over two years.
“Furthermore, she suffers from sickle cell anemia, hence I struggle to get odd jobs in order to cater for her,” Achieng spoke to a local media house.
She noted that the Covid-19 pandemic period has further crippled her financial situation.
A neighbor, Lectisia Nekesa also urged landlords to consider such cases owing to the difficult times brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ever since the onset of the deadly virus in March, the country has seen a paradigm shift as many families have endured financial difficulties due to the economic crisis. Thousands of people have lost jobs hence many families have found it difficult to tend to their basic needs.
