Wanjeri Nderu, a  Social justice crusader and mother of 3 was attacked for her tweets speaking out on corruption

Wanjeri Nderu, a Social justice crusader and mother of 3 was attacked for her tweets speaking out on corruption

Wanjeri Nderu, a social justice crusader, was attacked by a stranger for talking about corruption at Langata mall on Monday, 29th June 2015. Wanjeri uses her online presence to talk about various injustices in Kenya including corruption. On her timeline, she largely talk about insecurity and corruption.

 

Wanjeri says she took up the role of talking about these issues because she feels she has a duty not to let injustices continue yet she can speak. She is not affiliated with any individual or organization. She recounts

“I had just entered my car then rolled down the window. That was at Langata mall, outside a supermarket called Cleanshelf at 8pm. Some well built, tall and dark man just approached me. I had seen him standing near my car but he was not a suspicious person. He then mumbled something like Wacha kelele, ama tutakumaliza (stop making noise otherwise we will kill you). He hit me on my left eye and walked away. He was not in a hurry to run or hide.”

At the time of the attack, there were people in the area but none either saw or was concerned as is usual people going in with their business. He did not take anything away from her. In fact, she had her phone in her hand but the man was not concerned about it. Terrified on what had happened to her, she drove home. On reaching her house, she was unable to move. Her house help came to assist her walk to the house and also carry the things she had bought. Blood was oozing from her face and her entire side she was hit swollen.

Wanjeri who is a mother of three was unable to move much from her bed for the next two days. Her husband works outside Nairobi hence she lives alone with the children. In those two days her head was heavy and she was also traumatized by the assault. She therefore found it difficult to move out of the house to go to the hospital and also report to the police station.

“I was trying to make sense at what had happened. I couldn’t make head or tail on what could have caused the attack. I was also still panicking.”

She was only able to do this on Thursday, 2nd July. She went for a check up at Nairobi hospital on the same day when some checks were done. Luckily, she was okay as nothing had broken. She was then given some drugs and left for the police station in Lang’ata to report the incidence.

When I got to the station, the police could not make much progress. They said since I could not identify the person by name and where he can be reached, they cannot record the statement. They only promised to go scan the area.

Unfortunately, Wanjeri says the man was well dressed “like he was just from an office and had a good cologne, common among men.” Tracing him at that spot will be difficult. However she says if she sees the person, she can ably identify him.

Kenyans took to social media to show support for her and call to account for the person behind the attack.    

Wanjeri is however not cowed by the incident.  

 

Over the past two weeks, Wanjeri has been tweeting about the Parliamentary report on Mumias Sugar Company which was investigating the circumstances leading to the current financial woos in the company. The report had relied o the KPMG report which had undertaken a forensic audit and unearthed the extent of the financial improprieties and individuals responsible. She adds

Because I talk about these issues often, people just send me documents and information to highlight them online as I do. Moreover, I cannot know exactly who was responsible for my attack. It could be anyone.

 

 


Some of the tweets are below

 

     

   

 

 


Incidences of attacks on social media users and bloggers may not end soon as more Kenyans talk about vices in the country. Perhaps part of the security should be to avail these documents to many Kenyans so that those accused or suspected of doing wrong find it difficult to attack one person. This is especially critical as 2017 approaches when the country is expected to hold the next General Elections.