Dorcas Mwende, the girl who admitted to framing her father Julius Wambua for alleged rape, reached out to well-wishers, saying that she had put the past behind her, and was looking forward to continuing with her education.
The 24-year-old, while speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Tuesday, January 19, added that she had made peace with herself by recanting her statement, which was used by the court to acquit her father.
Wambua was jailed at Kamiti Maximum Prison in 2010 after the wife, Jacqueline Nzilani, accused him of defiling their daughter. Nzilani was accused of coaching Mwende to frame the father, allegations she has denied. The ruling was, however, overturned exonerating Wambua in December 2020.
“I registered for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) this year (2021) and I am not prepared at all. I have gone through a lot since this whole saga began. My education was halted after my father was sent to prison.
“I am kindly requesting well-wishers to help me raise school fees and other necessities so that I sit the exams. I believe that God will enable me to join a university,” the mother of one told Kenyans.co.ke reporter Kimani Mbugua, with tears forming in her eyes.
Mwende added that her father was also struggling to make ends meet as he was jobless and still had to fend for the family.
The Form 4 candidate added that she loved both her parents and her mother’s decision to reject the father’s forgiveness was not her burden to shoulder.
“She is my mum and I appreciate her. However, the guilt of my heart made me speak the truth. I believe in God and I would be disobeying him by hiding the truth. I had a tough life. Everywhere I went people rejected me. I had a feeling that people knew I had made a mistake. I was alone and used to cry a lot.
Our life was better when we were still a family. I asked for forgiveness for what I had done, and I am happy that I am Wambua’s daughter and he is my father. I don’t know how the other siblings perceived the matter but I thank God for taking away the pain I had. He makes a way where there is no way. He gave me peace,” Mwende said.
Speaking exclusively to Kenyans.co.ke on Tuesday, January 12, Nzilani claimed that her daughter Mwende had rejected her. However, she stated that she didn’t harbour any ill feelings for the child she gave birth too, and struggled to provide for.
"Mwende has never even asked me to forgive the father. I would have opened up and forgiven him. I don’t want his forgiveness. Even my in-laws have never approached me to ask me to solve the issue,” Nzilani claimed.
In his response, Wambua came out saying he still loves his ex-wife despite their altercations. He added that he was still struggling to adapt to his new life and urged donors to continue supporting him.
I heard her speaking to one of the media houses and that is her stance. I still love her, she was my wife,” he told Radio Jambo’s Massawe Jappani on Thursday, January 14.
Below is the video of the daughter's narration:
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