Panic has gripped the village of Mumboka in Shimanyiro Location, Ikolomani in Kakamega County, following an outbreak of an unidentified disease that has claimed one life and left more than 10 residents suffering from severe symptoms.
The mysterious illness, first detected three weeks ago in the home of Joyce Khatenji, has left health experts struggling to identify both the disease and its cause.
Victims are experiencing severe abdominal and chest pains, fever, coughing, vomiting, headaches, and fatigue—symptoms that have persisted for the past month.
Several families in the village have reported multiple cases within households. Those affected have been relying on antibiotics from local health facilities, but with little improvement.
On Saturday, the county government of Kakamega was ferrying patients in ambulances to various hospitals as the situation escalated.
“My firstborn son was the first to fall sick a month ago. We took him to various hospitals hoping he would improve. He is still on medication but has not shown any improvement,” said Ms Khatenji.
Two weeks ago, her 26-year-old daughter Faith Ilanda left home for Kisii in search of casual work but developed similar symptoms while there. She returned home and later succumbed on April 11, 2025, despite being on medication obtained from Elwesero Health Centre.
Ms Khatenji believes her daughter likely contracted the disease from her ailing brother before traveling to Kisii.
In the nearby home of Protus Matekwa, his 14-year-old daughter has been ill for the past week. She was taken to a private health facility for treatment.
“She complained of chest pains, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and blood in her urine, as well as joint pain. Some symptoms have subsided since she left the hospital, but she is yet to recover fully,” said Mr Matekwa.
She said she cannot afford treatment and is not registered with the government’s health insurance program—the Social Health Authority (SHA).
“I only manage to get Panadol tablets from the village chemist. That’s what is keeping them going. I don’t know how their condition will end up,” she said.
Residents have blamed the Ministry of Health for neglect, citing the lengthy delay in responding since the first case was reported.
“Both infected and non-infected people are living together, and eventually, everyone in the household could get infected, along with anyone who comes into contact with them. Yet we are treating the disease as though it’s a normal illness. I wish the Ministry of Health would separate and lock down the affected families,” said Mr Matekwa.
Some residents suspect it could be cholera, possibly caused by contaminated water. They claim to be using water from River Isiukhu for drinking, washing, and feeding animals—though these remain speculations.
A team of health experts from the Kakamega County government has been dispatched to investigate the outbreak and support efforts to contain the disease.
County Health Executive Livingstone Imbayi confirmed the deployment, stating that the team would conduct a thorough investigation using samples collected from affected individuals.
He urged those showing symptoms to seek immediate medical attention as authorities await laboratory results from the Government Chemist.
“We have intensified surveillance efforts to establish the source of the outbreak. We are waiting for laboratory results to guide the next steps,” he said.
“Most of these cases would not have reached this level if residents of this village were registered with SHA. They would have gone to public hospitals and the disease could have been detected and treated earlier,” he said.
