Woman, 58, sets herself ablaze because she could not bear children

On the eve of lovers’ day, when some were preparing to show affection to their loved ones, a 58-year-old woman in Elgeyo Marakwet of Kenya had seen enough of her life.

Mary Kibichei shocked residents of Kokwoptarakwa village in Elgeyo Marakwet County of Kenya after she committed suicide by locking herself in a house and setting it on fire.

The enraged woman is reported to have taken her own life claiming that she could no longer stand mockery from the public because she was childless. Ms Kibichei had been married but allegedly separated with her husband because she could not bear him children.
The old lady who is also the only child to her parents has been living in the village with her aging mother who escaped the Friday night fire tragedy.

The bizarre incident left the village reeling in utter shock because the deceased had before her death visited several people in the area engaging them in hearty talks, telling them she will end her life.

According to her mother Tabarno Kimurei, 80, her daughter has been complaining of being mocked by villagers because of being childless and on several occasions had attempted to commit suicide.

“My daughter has been occasionally complaining that she is being scorned by fellow villagers for not being able to bear children, making her lead a stressful life of self-condemnation,” said the mother.

Ms Kimurei who lived with the deceased after she separated with her husband many years ago, said on the material day, she had gone to a neighbour’s house to borrow salt for the evening meal. “Upon my return, I was alarmed when I saw huge smoke billowing from my house and screamed when I found out that the door had been locked from inside,” sobbed the distraught mother.

She said her daughter has been threatening to kill herself and even claimed that she had told her that she wanted to terminate both her life and that of her mother. “There is no need for me to remain alive because I have no child,” Kimurei recalled.