A three-month-old infant has been admitted to Busia County Referral Hospital with a severe head injury sustained during a domestic altercation involving the parents.
The child’s mother, Wilifrisha Anyango, reported that the incident began when her husband, Collins Ouma, 40, initiated an argument and physically assaulted her without provocation.
During the altercation on Tuesday evening in Nangoma, Ouma attacked both her and the baby with a slasher. Ouma is known to operate a bar.
“He tends to become violent whenever he has female employees at the pub,” Anyango stated.
She explained that it was the intervention of bar patrons that allowed her to escape the situation and led to her husband’s arrest.
“I went to seek help from clients at the bar, and when they arrived at the house, they found him asleep. I took the baby and then reported the incident to the Matayos police post,” she recounted.
As a mother of seven, Anyango expressed that she has suffered from her husband’s violence for many years, hoping for change.
“We have a five-year-old son who is disabled after being struck with a hammer by his father. I have consistently reported these incidents to village elders and the police, but he has never faced arrest. I urge the government to take appropriate action against him.”
Sammy Obuhuma, the focal person for gender-based violence at Busia County Referral Hospital, confirmed the incident, stating that the child is currently stable.
“We received a three-month-old patient with a significant head laceration caused by a slasher intended for the mother. The baby was transferred here after receiving initial care at Matayos subcounty hospital,” he explained.
“The child is stable, and we are keeping both the mother and baby here for their safety due to the volatile situation at home.”
Obuhuma noted that the mother bears multiple scars from ongoing assaults by her husband.
He also mentioned that the hospital has seen numerous other cases related to gender-based violence.
