Nairobi lovebirds end marriage plans after boy’s father reveals blood ties
By Njange Maina, March 1, 2020
A young unmarried couple who met in Nairobi got the shock of their life last month after they went to meet the boy’s parents.
John Njoroge (not his real name) took his girlfriend Rose Wanjiku (also not her real name) to meet his parents only for his father to reveal that the woman he intended to marry was actually his stepsister.
According to Wanjiku, the two met in Nairobi where they fell in love.
Having been born and raised in Nairobi, the two lovebirds were not very much acquainted with each other’s family histories. As such, to affirm his love for Wanjiku, John planned a meet the parents’ visit at their house in Utawala.
“When we arrived home, it was revealed to us that my father had married another woman with whom they separated,” Njoroge told Kameme TV.
It was quite a blow, the couple said, to be informed by Njoroge’s father that in fact, that unbeknownst to them, Wanjiku was his daughter from his first marriage.
Their families had no other option but to tell that their relationship could not continue.
‘Kikuyu culture’
According to Kikuyu elder, Thiong’o Gitau, marriage between relatives is a taboo and can spell danger in the matrimony.
If relatives marry and beget children, only a sacrifice of goats can lessen the consequences of a taboo marriage, according to Thiong’o.
Among Christians, sexual relations between certain relatives are prohibited.
Author Profile
Njange Maina
Njange Maina is a journalist by profession with a degree in Journalism from the Multimedia University of Kenya. He is currently pursuing a micro-masters degree in Digital Branding and Marketing. He is interested in digital media, human interest stories, and business journalism.
View all posts by Njange Maina