Two children in Nakuru consumed chameleons after going for days without eating. The two kids, age two and four, are receiving treatment for food poisoning and are said to be in stable conditions now .
The event occurred while Joyce Chepng’etich, a resident of Nyakinyua village in Molo sub-county, was away hunting for temporary employment. When she got home that night, she discovered two heads of chameleons on the floor.
“My kids were fine when I left in the morning. We had nothing in the house, so I told the eldest to watch over the others while I went shopping for food… I had to hunt for an alternative because I was unable to get the casual work I had hoped for.” the mother of eight stated.
The eldest son told her that he had made chameleon soup for the kids when she got home that evening when she discovered two kids on the floor writhing in pain.
The son claimed that he had to feed the chameleons to them since they had been screaming and moaning about hunger all day. After learning that, the mother of eight requested for assistance from her neighbors in getting the kids to a private hospital and they were directed to Molo Sub-County Hospital where they two received treatment and are stabilizing.
Janet Keter, a neighbor of hers, asserted that she heard screaming coming from Chepng’etich’s home and that this alerted her to the incident. Residents now urge well-wishers to support the single mother to raise her children, saying that none of her children goes to school.
“This mom is having difficulty providing for her kids. She leaves the house extremely early and comes back only to seek food for them in the evening. Keter said. “As neighbors, we have been helping where we can, but now we are appealing to well-wishers to help her. She is going through a lot.”
On her side the single mother of eight said her income is too little to support her family and she is asking for help from anyone who has the capacity .
“I beg everyone to assist me. I have nothing to eat. I don’t make enough money from my everyday jobs to support my family. Our income of Sh200, which we use for food and other expenses, is insufficient,”
BY LYDIA WAHU