Kenyan Man Goes on Hunger Strike After Wife is Sent into Forced Quarantine

A middle-aged Kenyan man has resorted to wearing sacks and going on a hunger strike after his wife was placed under forced quarantine over Covid-19. 

Joseph Mathenge from Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County said his wife Jane Njeri, a food vendor, was taken to quarantine at Nyandarua High School after she returned home from Migori County, where she had gone to buy her stock.

He said Njeri was first summoned to Ol Kalou Police Station where she was locked and later transferred to the quarantine facility by force.

“She came back yesterday [Friday] and was summoned to the Ol Kalou Police Station and I accompanied her. She was locked in and I was told that they were waiting for a team to come and test her,” said Mathenge.

Mathenge linked his wife’s woes to business rivals, adding that a trader at the Ol Kalou market had warned him that his spouse would be quarantined once she returns home from Migori.

“In this market of Ol Kalou there are women cartels. Last week, my wife traveled to Migori to buy some edibles. When I passed by the market the other day, one of the women told me they were aware that my wife would be quarantined once she comes back…and it came to be,” he lamented.

He said efforts to seek an audience with Nyandarua County Police Commander have been unsuccessful and vowed to protest until his wife is set free.