Elderly woman in Kisii demonstrations is mentally ill, family confirms

An elderly woman who was caught in last Friday’s demonstrations in Kisii has been having mentally unstable since 2009, family confirms.

The family says they have made all attempts to seek diagnosis and treatment for their mother in vain.

The family lives in Bonyando village in Bogiakumu Kisii South. Her son, Ogati Davis, says the mother has been trying to treat their matriarch for the last 13 years.

The mother, Rose Ogati leaves home every day, early in the morning for Kisii town.

“It is painful to watch my mother in such a condition; the photos are all over.  I hope one day she gets back to her senses,” says Davis.

Rose is a frequent visitor to Kisii Central Police Station where she enjoys free meals from the police officer at the station’s canteen.

Carrying a sack and a jembe on her head has remained her trademark for years.

‘She was not part of the demonstrators because she has been unwell for a long time. Our neighbors know of her condition. We had been told that she had some malaria but since then we have not been able to raise enough money to take her for further medication.” Davis has told The Standard.

The police officer who was caught in the photos with Rose says he did not beat her and was only scaring her to run away from the demonstrators.

“She is a frequent visitor to my office. I have always bought her lunch though I have never understood what she communicates because she always interacts with us in her local dialect.”

A family of seven siblings, they lost one of the sons, Nelson Ogati a week ago in unclear circumstances. The body was found hanging outside their mother’s house a week ago.

The family is yet to organise for the burial date of their kin.

“Police visited the scene but we are yet to get a report on how my brother died. My brother was a humble person. He was blessed with two.”

Rose’s husband died in 2016.