ELDORET, Kenya — Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi has pledged to support a struggling mother from Nandi County after she interrupted a public event attended by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki in a desperate attempt to seek assistance.
In a statement issued on Monday, Sudi said 40-year-old Chepchir Sigilai travelled from Kapkoimur in Mosop Constituency, Nandi County, to Kapsang in Uasin Gishu County after learning that he would be attending a public function in the area.
According to the legislator, Sigilai disrupted the event briefly to attract his attention after years of struggling with a chronic illness and financial hardship.
“My heart was moved by Chepchir Sigilai, a 40-year-old mother from Kapkoimur, Selia in Mosop Constituency, Nandi County. Desperation gave her courage she should never have needed,” Sudi said.
“Hearing I would be in Kapsang, she traveled for hours and then temporarily disrupted a function attended by the Deputy President just to get my attention. She had waited 18 years for relief, and her plea could not be ignored.”
Two Decades of Illness and Hardship
Sudi said Sigilai has been battling a mysterious medical condition since 2008, experiencing severe stomach and navel pain, recurring swelling, and persistent headaches.
The lawmaker noted that despite seeking treatment at several hospitals over the years, she has been unable to obtain a lasting diagnosis or effective treatment.
“The sickness has drained her strength, her income, and her peace. For nearly two decades, she has moved from one hospital to another with no lasting solution, carrying her pain in silence while trying to survive as a single mother,” he said.
Her health challenges have been compounded by personal tragedy. According to Sudi, Sigilai has lost three of her six children over the years.
One child died in 2011 at the age of 12, another died at three months old, while a third passed away in 2023.
Plea for Child’s Future
The MP said one of the most emotional moments of their meeting came when Sigilai asked him to help secure a future for her 10-year-old child.
“When we met, she looked me directly in the eyes, tears streaming down her face, and pleaded for me to take her 10-year-old child if I could, to give her a school and a future she could not provide,” Sudi said.
In response, the legislator said he provided her with transport assistance and committed himself to supporting both her medical treatment and her child’s education.
“I gave her transport, and I gave her my word. I will look into the child’s welfare, find her a school, and stand with Chepchir until she receives proper medical care,” he stated.
“No woman should have to scream in a crowd to be heard, and no mother should be forced to choose between her life and her child’s future.”
