Residents of a village in Trans Nzoia County have urged a local couple with ten young children to stop having more kids. Concerned neighbours recently gathered at the couple’s home, expressing worries about the family’s well-being and the pressure on local resources.
In a video shared by Lillian Siyoi Walubengo, the villagers are seen speaking to the couple, advising them to consider family planning. “Imetosha! Msizae tena!” the residents said, emphasising their concern about the family’s ability to provide for their large brood.
The villagers stressed that they cared about the couple and their children’s future, stating that raising many children is a burden in the current economic climate. One local resident remarked, “We are not here to shame them, but to help them understand the challenges ahead.”
The incident sparked a heated debate on social media. While some people supported the villagers’ concern, others criticised the way they handled the situation:
- James Muthomi Kimonye commented, “This kind of humiliation will drive these children to be better in life. Many have risen from such situations to greatly bless their family and society.”
- Missiz Kenya wrote, “The idea is excellent and understandable, but the approach is heartbreaking and demeaning.”
- “Kids are a blessing. They will come to realise it later. May God bless the family,” said Bonnie Dabo Njei.
- Esther wa Karuiru added, “Let them have children, as others wish to but cannot. God will provide for them.”
In a surprising turn of events, Lillian Siyoi Walubengo, who shared the video, promised to support the family by building them a new house. On Facebook, she announced that the couple would be the first beneficiaries of her Jenga Nyumba Initiative. “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it,‘” Walubengo wrote.
READ MORE: K24 JOURNALIST WANJERI KARIUKI RECEIVES DEATH THREATS AFTER BEING SHOT DURING PROTESTS
The story has drawn attention to the broader conversation about family planning and community support in rural Kenya.