A man and his wife from Kithangene in Igembe Central, Meru, are nursing injuries allegedly inflicted by relatives using a panga and a jembe.
Patrick Kailemia and his wife Kaari were assaulted by the husband's youngest brother and his wife on Sunday after a dispute on who should take care of their ageing and blind mother.
Kailemia told journalists that he was alerted by screams from his wife who was being beaten by his brother’s wife and when he tried to intervene, she overpowered them both. He said she cut him with a jembe and broke his hand.
"She struck me with the jembe in the head and I fainted. She continued hitting me until she broke my hand," he said.
He said his wife was also cut with a jembe. Kilemia said his brother (who was not identified) also attacked them with a panga.
Their eldest sibling David Baariu said their brother has been threatening them with a panga whenever they visit their mother. The mother stays in her house but they take care of her.
“He is our last born. He has become a nuisance and he has barred us from visiting our mother. I have reported the matter at Nkinyang’a police,” Baariu said.
He said the injured were taken to Muthara Hospital before they were referred to another hospital.
Kailemia's sister Sarah Makena told the Star she ran away from home a decade ago due to wrangles and constant assault.
“I called the chief and he told me action would be taken but nothing has been done so far. It is 10 years since I ran away from home because of the beatings,” she said.
Chief John Kaberia confirmed the incident and distanced himself from claims of shielding the suspect. He said the cause of the fight was a minor issue.
"It is not about land, because their land is well sub-divided. They should report and get an arrest warrant,” Kaberia told the Star on the phone on Monday.
He said the suspect has no criminal record.
