Kenyans on social media are an angry lot. This comes after the story of a helpless young woman who gave birth at Uhuru Park went viral.
On Tuesday, Rebecca Atieno, 20, was forced to give birth at Uhuru Park just moments after being fired from her job.
Rebecca had initially gone to Uhuru Park in search of some peace and quiet so she could think of what to do next following her firing.
Confused and exhausted from the heavy pregnancy, she finally found a spot at the park. Little did she know that was where her child would be born.
The young lady had a lot on her mind. Just the previous night, her landlord had kicked her out of a rundown lodging in Muthurwa where she paid Ksh. 50 per night.
While at the park, Rebecca felt an urgent need to use the washroom, but there was one slight problem. She couldn’t afford to pay 10 shillings in order to gain access to a public toilet. Since she had no other option, Rebecca surrendered her phone to one of the public toilet attendants.
Just a few minutes past 2 p.m, Rebecca’s water broke. All alone, helpless, and in severe pain, she tried supporting herself against a tree in the park hoping that someone would notice her and come to her rescue.
Roughly 30 minutes later, unaided, Rebecca gave birth to a baby girl and wrapped her in her sweater. A good Samaritan who was passing by the park noticed that she had given birth on her own and alerted members of the St John Ambulance who took her to the Kenyatta National Hospital.
The irony is that just two days before Rebecca gave birth, runners participating in the “Beyond Zero Marathon”, whose sole purpose is ensuring mothers like Rebecca gain access to proper, free maternal care, passed by the same park.
This is, therefore, why Kenyans on social media are absolutely fuming over yesterday’s incident.
Here are some of their reactions below.
https://twitter.com/gabrieloguda/status/1106086792879656960
https://twitter.com/Disembe/status/1106063714460069888
This woman is jobless and homeless. She gave birth at Uhuru Park. Someone convinced you that maternity is free in Kenya. His wife told you #BeyondZero raises money to ensure mother/child safety during and after delivery.
Should I give up on Kenya or Kenyans? pic.twitter.com/PzGnq5nUXz— KABABA (@GeneralWaitish) March 14, 2019
St John Ambulance helps a street woman to emergently deliver at Uhuru Park. pic.twitter.com/0f37MuS7cd
— St John Ambulance Kenya (@StJohnKenya) March 14, 2019
The power of gratitude. Moving story of Atieno, safely delivering baby Hope at Uhuru park due to lack of basic resources but just grateful to deliver a healthy baby! pic.twitter.com/zMnz6A168G
— Limo Boit (@limoboit) March 14, 2019
The case of a woman giving birth in Uhuru Park shows how deep corruption has eaten into Kenya:
1. Running a Marathon aimed at free maternal care yet in hospitals nothng is 'free'
2. Poor living standards
3. billions being laundered weekly 😟It's really sad!!! pic.twitter.com/2AdtaetnT7
— DANTOH (@Dantoh01) March 14, 2019
https://twitter.com/Lion_Of_Mara/status/1106061092923625472
Kwa maoni yangu, it is now or never, anyone who pays tax we should make one decision “NO PAYING TAX ANYMORE.” Until corruption issue in this country is solve. We can’t be fattening these cows & siphoning oil when women are giving birth at Uhuru Park. #NationalOilUntouchables
— Bobby Vj (@BobbyVj) March 14, 2019
https://twitter.com/I_am_Gathoni/status/1106133429131853824
https://twitter.com/gabrieloguda/status/1106102430088024064
GOVERNMENT likes to punish poverty in the most brutal way. The woman who delivered at Uhuru Park has paid the price for being pregnant while poor. Meanwhile, there's the Social Assistance Act, publicly funded to fund the poor, orphans, unemployed, elderly. What a travesty!
— Steve Ogolla (@steveogollaw) March 14, 2019
Two photos,different counties,same country.first photo,homeless woman giving birth at Uhuru park.second photo turkana resident starving to death.I'm weeping for my country,Kenya.this is a country where a billion is looted daily.its so sad.@UKenyatta pic.twitter.com/TYFKJCfPXG
— Jeremy (@jeremy_adoyo) March 14, 2019
https://twitter.com/Matoke_/status/1106099027970531331
Kenya has a capital city filled with clinics & hospitals on practically every street corner yet a woman is forced to give birth on the sidewalk in Uhuru Park. We have failed as a nation & more so GoK. Last week ppl ran a marathon to raise money for maternal healthcare, thats free
— Anonymous Kenya (@Anon1KENYA) March 14, 2019
The story of Rebecca who gave birth alone at Uhuru Park, the story of the man who tried sneaked his newborn from KNH, story of the "Ghaii" boy who was chased away from a birthday party, all paint a picture of a struggling population while a few swim in wealth looted from public.
— Gender Advocate (@Commonmundu) March 14, 2019
How free is Free Maternity Care? If a vulnerable woman is forced to deliver at Uhuru Park something is wrong somewhere.
— Ronnie Vx (@ronniekib) March 14, 2019
