As Kenyans celebrated Mashujaa Day on Sunday, a woman from Kisii county was celebrating the birth of her her four babies.
Jackline Kwamboka, 18, from Boginchoncho village in Bassi Chache started experiencing labour pains on Saturday night before delivering her first child at home at 2am on Sunday.
The standard seven school drop-out did not know that she was carrying more babies until the pains persisted.
Jackline's mother-in-law, Grace Kwamboka and relatives rushed her to Gucha Level 4 Hospital where she delivered three more babies at 5am.
“It was a pleasant surprise when my daughter-in-law gave birth to three more babies at the hospital,” Grace said
The four babies – all girls and named by their mother as Quinter Barongo, Deborah Nyanchera, Brigid Barongo and Ivone Barongo, weighed 1.9, 1.9, 1.6 and 1.2 kilos respectively.
Speaking from her hospital bed, Jackline, who has a 4-year-old daughter, was overjoyed.
She said she delivered the normal and healthy babies because she visited clinics as required for advice and checkups.
“I knew I was expecting my second baby but to my amusement, I have delivered four of them. I thank God that I never developed any complication,” Jackline said.
She however said she will face a big challenge in bringing up the babies because "I am married in a poor family."
“My husband and I are peasant farmers. I am really worried on how to raise up the four babies because their demands are high,” Jackline said.
When asked whether her family has a history of giving birth to twins, triplets of quadruplets, the young mother said her brother’s wife delivered twins.
“I am appealing to well wishers to assist me financially and materially so we can raise my four babies,” she said
The nursing officer in-charge of the hospital, Samuel Kimaiga, said all the babies are stable and in good health.