How protest against dissapearance of Baby Mercy's body took emotional turn

As protesters marched through Nakuru streets yesterday (Monday), one could feel the pain they shared with Sharon Saidi, mother of the seven-month-old baby who mysteriously disappeared from Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.

In particular, one woman walked at the back of the crowd, weeping heavily. On approaching her, she immediately lowered her sunglasses.

Seeing that I had a camera, she quickly said, “No photos.”

Out of curiosity, I asked if she was related to Sharon, to which she replied, “No.” As it turned out, her name was Alice Mumbi.

A brief conversation after, Mumbi shared how in October 2024, she lost her 10-month-old baby.

“My child died due to breathing complications, and we buried him later that week. It’s been four months, but the pain is still fresh. The only closure I have is that I was able to see my son laid to rest. Whenever I feel overwhelmed with sadness, I visit his grave, and it comforts me,” Alice sobs as she continues.

“I can only imagine what Sharon is going through. She’s been told her child is dead, but she doesn’t have the body. How can she begin to heal if she doesn’t even know whether her child is truly gone?”

It is this same question that Sharon’s family battle with, as they see their kin helpless amidst the disappearance of Mercy Chepng’eno’s body.

Winnie Odanga, Sharon’s sister, paints a heart breaking picture of what Sharon went through to get her rainbow baby.

“When my sister was pregnant for the first time, she was overjoyed. Together with her husband, they looked forward to becoming first-time parents. However, at the sixth month of her pregnancy, she lost the baby. This loss took a toll on her, but slowly, she began to heal,” Winnie narrates.

She adds, “After a while, Baby Mercy came into their lives, bringing them hope. After a successful birth, Sharon devoted every day to ensuring her baby remained healthy. But then, things took a tragic turn.”

Winnie says her sister is now broken and in a state of shock. She sits alone, staring blankly into space, with tears rolling down her face.

“The fact that she sits in uncertainty, not knowing the whereabouts of her child, makes the situation even worse,” she says.

The protest was primarily composed of women from all walks of life, many of whom seemed to be mothers themselves and could deeply empathize with Sharon’s pain.

Indeed, uchungu wa mwana aujuaye ni mama.

At the hospital, the message to the administration was loud and clear: Give us Baby Mercy!