The story of an elderly mother, Ruth Shiundu from Kawangware in Nairobi whose roof windows and door were removed by her landlord rent arrears touched the hearts of Kenyans who pledged support.
The story was aired by Citizen TV on Wednesday evening and before long, a section of Kenyans offered to help her.
Shiundu, a mother of four, owes her landlord Ksh11,000 in rent arrears.
She says her business which deals in selling beddings has been on standstill as her customers fear that they could have come with coronavirus.
“I sell beddings which is problematic now because people are sceptical of the country I import from. I just stay home for now,” she said.
She narrated that when the landlord asked for her dues, she explained the situation but she arrogantly told her “mimi si dada yako” (I am not your sister).
“When I went to her house to lament, she told me that I was not her sister neither was I her child and if I was unable to pay rent, I should take my stuff to my relatives’ houses,” she explained plaintively adding that she has been widowed for the last nine years.
Shiundu said that after asking for more time to meet her rent obligations, an hour later, part of her roof and door were removed on orders of the landlady.
Touched by her plight, businessman Philip Arunga pledged to pay her rent for one year while Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina pledged Ksh20,000 to aid Shiundu buy foodstuff.
A friend of Citizen TV journalist Jeff Koinange who works with Kasuku Centre pledged to pay Shiundu’s one-month rent.
This comes barely a day after the government released the results of a survey on Tuesday indicating that three of every ten tenants are unable to settle their rent due to the coronavirus pandemic.
