KISII, Kenya — Joyful celebrations erupted at Nyanchwa Hospital in Kisii on Monday morning after a local woman safely delivered quadruplets — three boys and one girl — in a rare and heartwarming event that has drawn national attention.
The mother, Vane Nyanchoka Ontweka, gave birth via caesarean section, with hospital staff naming the occasion a “miracle of life.”
The four babies were named after Kenya’s late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga and his wife, Ida Odinga.
The boys were named Raila, Amolo, and Odinga, while the baby girl was named Ida — a tribute that hospital staff said symbolized renewal and remembrance following Raila’s passing.
“We were delighted to deliver the babies,” said Dr. Maria Lyther, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer. “The mother faced some difficulties because of the combined weight of the four babies, but both she and the newborns are now in stable condition.”
The delivery sparked jubilation across the maternity ward, with nurses and doctors applauding the medical team for the successful procedure. For Nyanchoka, the experience was both shocking and miraculous.
“I didn’t expect them to be four,” she said with a laugh. “The ultrasound showed only three. It was difficult even to walk or breathe toward the end, but I thank God for this blessing.”
According to nurse Everline Mong’are, who attended to Nyanchoka, the decision to name the babies after the Odingas came naturally during an emotional moment in the ward.
“When she developed complications, it happened around the time Raila’s death was announced,” Mong’are said. “We said, ‘Raila has come back in a big way.’ So we named them Raila, Amolo, Odinga, and the tiny girl Ida.”
Nyanchoka, who already has a set of twins, expressed gratitude despite feeling overwhelmed.
“It’s truly amazing. First twins, now quadruplets — only God can do that,” she said.
Hospital officials have since appealed to well-wishers and the community to support the family as they prepare for the challenging journey of raising four newborns simultaneously.
“Raising four babies at once is no easy task,” said Dancun Mosioma, a senior administrator at Nyanchwa Hospital. “We are calling on well-wishers to lend a helping hand as the family begins this extraordinary journey.”
Medical experts note that multiple births such as quadruplets are rare, occurring in roughly one out of every 700,000 pregnancies worldwide, making Nyanchoka’s case both exceptional and medically significant.
