In a heart-wrenching story that has gripped the nation and highlighted the vulnerabilities of teenage girls in Kenya, a father who has been sexually abusing his four daughters in Eldoret City for more than 10 has been arrested and faces multiple counts of child abuse, rape and children’s rights violations.

The man, a retired night guard in Eldoret town, in Uasin Gishu County, some 360 kilometres west of the capital Nairobi, was busted by his eldest daughter, aged 20, when she arrived home last week and found her father abusing her youngest sister, aged 10.

The four sisters aged between 10 and 20 years from Uasin Gishu County were immediately rescued from their randy father and for the first time openly talked about the cruelty meted out by their biological father, who had threatened to kill them together with their mother if the act of incest ever became public.

What’s more, the man even helped two of the daughters procure abortions to suppress the incest.

According to reports from a foundation that rescued the girls who lived with their mother in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, they would travel with their dad, an ex-security guard to Eldoret town in turns upon request of their father to help him with the household chores when away on duty.

Initially, according a report made at Thika Police Station, the father lured the girls with pornographic stuff, which, out of ignorance, made it look “normal” to have sex with their father.

“What he would do is request his wife to give out one of the girls during weekends or holidays help him with household chores. He would then travel to Eldoret with them. He would take advantage of the daughters with pornographic videos that they watched together at night,” one of the rescuers described.

The rescuers, Affecto Foundation – children’s rescue group – that helps educate needy children, said from the girls’ accounts their father had threatened to kill them, their mother and commit suicide if they opened up.

The foundation’s CEO Ndung’u Nyoro explains that the sexual abuse persisted for over 10 years until two weeks ago when the eldest daughter, a university student busted the dad sexually molesting her youngest sister. She in turn informed their mother, who subsequently reported the incident to authorities.

Nyoro says the foundation raised the matter with the ministry of gender, which promptly ordered for the arrest of the man two weeks ago. The girls were then taken to their sister’s house in Weitethie in Juja Sub County, where Gender Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo visited them on Monday.

Nyoro says from the girls testimonies, the man had made the sexual abuse look ordinary and the girls, out of ignorance, accepted it. He says the man started luring his daughters into incestuous sex when they were about eight years.

The CEO revealed that two of the girls were forced to abort by their father, who paid for the risky procedure. The girls have gone through counselling that has helped them talk about the violations openly.

Gender Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo said the children will be transferred to a safe place as investigations proceeded. She said the ministry will also ensure that the children are taken to school and that all their requirements will be catered for to ensure a smooth study.

“This is a sad incident where a father sexually molests his daughters multiple times, impregnates them, and then helps to procure abortions. This should not happen in our society,” Cheptumo said.

She said the government will ensure that justice is served and the perpetrator is dealt with according to the law. He warned other sex pests that their days are numbered and soon, the long arm of the law will catch up with them.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Muoki Charles