Faith Nyongesa
Maureen Vihenda left Kitale in pursuit of better opportunities in Nairobi after her father passed away following a prolonged battle with illness.
She landed a modest-paying role as a bar attendant, which she found unsatisfying due to her lack of experience, resulting in significant losses for her employer. During a certain interview,Maureen revealed that her life underwent a dramatic shift when she encountered a man who proposed marriage to her.
Given her dire circumstances, she accepted the proposal without realizing she was entering a relationship with a man who practiced polygamy.
After birthing three children, Maureen was astounded to learn of her husband’s multiple other spouses. “One of his wives confided that she had been wedded to him for over a decade but couldn’t conceive, so we agreed he should marry someone else to have children,” she recounted.
Unable to endure the dynamics of a polygamous household, she departed and resumed an independent life, making ends meet as a cleaner. Despite enduring a harsh boss, she persisted as it was her sole means of income. One day, the boss unexpectedly warmed up to Maureen after a former human resource manager, whom she had terminated, reported the company to KRA for tax evasion.As it happened, I was the only employee who knew the HR’s home since I had been close to him,” she continued.
Aware of the consequences, Maureen understood the implications when her boss proposed a deal of KSh 2 million to reveal the whereabouts of the former employee. The arrangement involved being escorted by a group of men to the employee’s residence before receiving payment. En route to Kitengela, she observed one of the men carrying a pistol.
Upon inquiry, he confessed they were sent to eliminate the employee. “I managed to persuade the men to abandon the mission because they also saw no sense in killing an innocent person,” Maureen recounted. This decision not only saved her life and that of the human resource manager but also led to her dismissal by the boss for failing to execute the task.
Since then, Maureen has struggled with various menial jobs and involvement in illicit activities, but she eventually found redemption and now lives a lawful life. While she hasn’t achieved financial stability yet, she takes solace in the fact that her tumultuous past no longer defines her.