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Magdalene Njoki Mburu’s passing from childbirth complications: Documenting maternal deaths in Kenya

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
Photo: Guka wa Nairobi Muthee kiengei on Facebook.

By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com

This article highlights the maternal death of Magdalene Njoki Mburu, 36, a Kenyan mother who succumbed to pregnancy-related complications. This is story five of the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, an initiative that is focused on documenting maternal deaths in Kenya to raise awareness about the issue and advocate for better maternal health. The project aims to memorialize Kenyan mothers lost to childbirth complications and is a platform to share their stories and experiences. 

Magdalene Njoki Mburu passed away from childbirth complications in May 2025. The official announcement of her death was made by the leader of the church in which she fellowshipped.

In the announcement, it was revealed that when Magdalene started experiencing severe abdominal pains, she immediately went to hospital. There, a scan revealed that her unborn baby had passed away. As the medics were attending to her, her blood pressure rose, further complicating matters. Sadly, Magdalene did not make it. Postmortem results revealed that Madgalene had suffered a uterine rupture.

 

A uterine rupture occurs when the wall of the uterus tears or breaks open. This can result from the pressure caused by a growing baby during pregnancy or childbirth. The tear can allow the baby to slip partly or completely into the mother’s belly, outside the uterus.

A uterine rupture can happen suddenly and is often very painful. The vast majority of uterine ruptures occur during labour, but they can also happen in late pregnancy.

A uterine rupture is more likely to happen in women who have had a previous caesarean section (CS) or surgery on the uterus. This is because the scar on the uterus from the earlier surgery/surgeries is weaker and can tear under the pressure of labour. Women who have had multiple pregnancies are also at higher risk.

Read more ‘Wanjiku Kumbukumbu’ stories below:

If you would like to share information about a mother who has lost her life due to maternal health complications in 2025, or if you would like to support the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, please reach me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

Immaculate Kirui’s death from childbirth complications: Documenting maternal deaths in Kenya

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
Photo source: Leene Emet Newspaper! on Facebook.

By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com

This article highlights the maternal death of Immaculate Kirui, 40, who passed away from post-birth complications after delivering quadruplets. This is story four of the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, an initiative that is documenting maternal deaths in Kenya. 

Immaculate Kirui, a devoted wife and new mother was a dearly loved Mathematics teacher at Litein High School in Kericho County. She actually headed the Mathematics department at the school.

On 24 April 2025, Immaculate arrived at the South Rift Hospital, ready to welcome her quadruplets. While there, the medical team noted her fluctuating blood pressure and worked vigilantly towards managing it.

Two days later on 26 April 2025, Immaculate successfully delivered her four lovely babies through a caesarean section. Unfortunately, she developed post-birth complications, leading to a two-week stay at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

On 31 May 2025, Immaculate experienced a very severe headache, which necessitated her transfer to Eldoret Hospital. There, it was discovered that she had a brain clot and had to undergo surgery. After the surgery, Immaculate remained in a comma.

Sadly, on 9 June 2025, Immaculate passed away peacefully.

She left behind her husband and their four beautiful newborn babies. She lost her life while giving life.

Immaculate also left behind a strong community of relatives, friends and colleagues who dearly cherished her compassion and kindness. The Litein High School community, in which she had belonged to for 13 years, described Immaculate as ‘a remarkable colleague and extraordinary human being who touched lives with her warmth, dedication, and incredible spirit. She was more than just a coworker; she was a mentor, a friend to all and a beacon of positivity that lifted all those around her.’

Indeed, Immaculate was a wonderful lady who touched the lives of many and will be dearly missed by all.

Information source: Leene Emet Newspaper!

Read more stories under the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu initiative:

If you would like to share information about a mother who has lost her life due to maternal health complications in 2025, or if you would like to support the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, please reach me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

Elizabeth Wairimu ‘s death while giving life: Documenting maternal deaths in Kenya

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
Screengrab: Daily Nation

By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com

This article highlights the maternal death of a young Kenyan woman – Elizabeth Wairimu, 27, in Nakuru County.

This is story three of the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, an initiative that is documenting maternal deaths in Kenya. This is borne from the questions we often ask when we learn of a woman’s death while giving life:

“Waaah!! Kwani what happened? Si she was in a hospital? What went wrong?

Read: Vanessa Wanjiku’s death while giving life at the age of 26

Read: Phanice Kerubo, 27, dies from childbirth complications 

The ‘Wanjiku Kumbukumbu’ project is a memorial board for the Kenyan mothers we have lost to maternal health complications. This is Elizabeth Wairimu ‘s story.

April 2025: Elizabeth Wairimu, 27, Nakuru County

On Friday 18 April, Benson Kinyanjui accompanied his wife to the Nakuru Level 5 Hospital in Nakuru county, as reported by NTV Kenya. Due for delivery, the couple anticipated the birth of their baby that Easter weekend.

“When she arrived at the hospital, she was in good health. I’m the one who personally brought her to the hospital, as we happily chatted along the way. She was cheerful and did not have any problems at all,” says Kinyanjui.

Wairimu was scheduled for a caesarean section (CS) on the same day. However, the surgery was postponed to the following day.

The following morning, on Saturday 19 April, Wairimu was wheeled to the theatre. However, after an agonizing six-hour wait, the doctors emerged with very disturbing news. There was a complication. Apparently, Wairimu had developed breathing difficulties after the surgery.

“They said that it was either her or the baby,” her distraught husband recalls of the doctor’s words.

Wairimu was in critical condition and urgently needed to be transferred to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Shockingly, it then took a distressing two-hour wait for an ambulance to arrive and transfer Wairimu to the ICU, which was only 300 meters away (within the same health facility).

Ridicule by medics

Anxiously waiting for good news from the ICU, the family says that their attempts to get updates from the medical team on Wairimu’s status were met with unkind and dismissive responses, further worsening their pain.

The family believes the hospital was negligent in how they handled Wairimu, thus leading to her untimely demise. In addition to accusing the hospital of negligence, Wairimu’s family further questioned why, upon her demise at 5.41pm, they were only notified of her death at 8.00pm.

The hospital’s management however refuted the family’s negligence claims. The below explanation was given by the Nakuru county Health CEC.

A postmortem would later reveal that Wairimu died of respiratory distress due to pulmonary embolism. Her baby survived.

If you would like to voluntarily provide information about a mother who has lost her life due to maternal health complications in 2025, or if you would like to support the #WanjikuKumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, please reach me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

Kakamega mothers encouraged to deliver in hospital through the Barasa Care programme

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
Barasa-care-Kakamega

By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com

Over 2,200 mothers in Kakamega County have been enrolled and fully paid under the Barasa Care ‘Imarisha Afya ya Mama na Mtoto’ health programme. The initiative supports mothers throughout pregnancy, delivery and in the postnatal period. It aims to promote safe motherhood by supporting expectant and nursing mothers with financial aid to access quality maternal and child healthcare services.

According to Fernandes Barasa, the Kakamega County Governor, the goal of the ‘Imarisha Afya ya Mama na Mtoto’ health programme is to ensure that every mother and child in Kakamega receives the care they deserve without financial barriers by among others, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for families.

Among others, Barasa Care’s cash transfer criteria ensures that Kakamega’s mothers attend the recommended four antenatal visits, deliver at public facilities, and follow through with postnatal check-ups, immunizations, and growth monitoring for the baby. Each visit earns KSh2,000, and eventually totaling to KSh12,000.

Kakamega County has a high maternal mortality rate of 316 deaths per 100,000 live births. This high rate is partly attributed to unskilled deliveries. Barasa Care hopes to address this by encouraging hospital deliveries, which will also address the county’s neonatal mortality rate.

Kakamega County, one of the 47 counties in Kenya, borders Bungoma, Busia, Siaya, Vihiga, Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties.

Also read: No mother died from childbirth complications in Kiambu County in April 2025

Also read: Communication breakdown between lab and the theatre leads to death of expectant woman in Tharaka Nithi County

If you would like to provide any information about notable maternal health initiatives in your county, write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Barasa-care-Kakamega-countySource: KNA

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

Communication breakdown between lab and the theatre leads to death of expectant woman in Tharaka Nithi

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
maternal-deaths-in-Kenya
Photo courtesy: Governor Muthomi Njuki Facebook page

This article is part of the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu series by Mummy Tales that highlights the public health concern that is maternal deaths in Kenya. Today, we feature the concerns of a Governor from Kenya’s Eastern region. Among other functions, County Governors are responsible for ensuring that their county’s health system functions effectively. 

April 2025, Tharaka Nithi County

An expectant woman recently died in Tharaka Nithi county as a result of alleged negligence by the hospital workers. According to the Tharaka Nithi County Governor Hon. Muthomi Njuki, the mother lost her life due to communication breakdown between the laboratory and the theatre.

“It was an emergency situation where the mother needed four pints of blood. However, the lab said that the blood could not be matched within the time it was required. By the time the blood was being availed, the woman had already died,” he said.

The Governor, who said the death could have been avoided, suspended all the healthcare workers involved in the unfortunate and costly incident.

Source: The Eastleigh Voice

You may also like to read these related articles:

  1. No mother died from childbirth complications in Kiambu in April 2025
  2. Phanice Kerubo’s death while giving life: Kisii County
  3. Vanessa Wanjiku’s death while giving life: Nairobi County

If you would like to provide any information about notable maternal health initiatives in your county, or if you would like to support the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, please write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

Phanice Kerubo’s death while giving life: Documenting maternal deaths in Kenya

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
Screengrab of Phanice Kerubo's mother: Citizen TV Kenya

By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com

Maternal deaths in Kenya are a major public health concern. The narratives surrounding these deaths are also important. This article highlights the death of a young woman -Phanice Kerubo Ratemo, 27, who died from childbirth complications in Kisii County, in the western Kenya region.

This is story two of the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, an initiative that is documenting maternal deaths in Kenya. This is borne from the questions we often ask when we learn of a woman’s death while giving life:

“Waaah!! Kwani what happened? Si she was in a hospital? What went wrong? Why are we still losing mothers in this day and age?”

Read: Vanessa Wanjiku’s death while giving life at the age of 26.

The ‘Wanjiku Kumbukumbu’ project is a memorial board for the Kenyan mothers we have lost to maternal health complications. This is Phanice Kerubo Ratemo’s story.

March 2025, Kisii County: Phanice Kerubo’s story 

On Monday 17 March 2025, 27-year-old Phanice Kerubo Ratemo was admitted at Magena Dispensary in Kisii county after she started experiencing labour pains. In what should have been a successful delivery under skilled attendants, things went terribly wrong at the health facility. Kerubo never made it back home alive. She died of alleged neglect in the hospital -a place she knew would be a safe place for her to deliver.

According to her family members, when the receiving nurse examined her upon arrival at the hospital, she advised that Kerubo’s cervix had not dilated enough for delivery, and she should therefore wait. Kerubo was in great pain and writhing in discomfort. However, she continued to be told to wait. All night long, Kerubo’s cries of pain and agony persisted, but she remained unattended to.

The family pleaded with the medics to allow them to transfer her to a different facility. But they were rebuked with words such as “we are doctors, and you are not!” thus shutting down their efforts.

The following day, Tuesday, the situation remained unchanged, with Kerubo continuing to writhe in pain and crying out for help. Sadly, on the evening of Tuesday 18 March, Kerubo died. Her unborn baby died too.

The Standard quotes one relative’s sentiments following her passing:

“Does it mean that the hospital staff could not have sensed there could be more than met the eye when the woman was writhing in pain the entire night and day and yet the birth canal was not for delivery? There must have been a high level of negligence.”

Kerubo was an only child to her mother, Ms. Bosibori Ratemo.

Could Kerubo’s death have been prevented?

The Kisii County government said that it would investigate the incident, with the Governor, Hon. Simba Arati, saying they will “get to the root of the matter on what caused the death.”

Sources: Citizen TV and The Standard. 

Also read: No mother died from childbirth complications in Kiambu in April 2025

If you would like to voluntarily provide information about a mother who has lost her life due to maternal health complications in 2025, or if you would like to support the #WanjikuKumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, please reach me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

Scion Hospital maternity ward closed after mother loses baby

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
Photo: @HospitalScion on X

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has shut down Scion Hospital’s maternity wing. This follows a complaint by a young mother of alleged medical negligence at the hospital, which led to the death of her baby.

The mother, who posted her ordeal on her Instagram page, indicated that the hospital’s negligence claimed her daughter’s life. She says she was left unattended to for hours, leading to her baby’s demise. Scion Hospital is located in Imara Daima, Nairobi, and is a private health facility.

In a statement, KMPDC said it had taken note of the matter and had initiated a formal inquiry in line with its regulatory mandate.

“As investigations are underway, the maternity ward at Scion Hospital has been ordered closed with immediate effect to ensure patient safety and preserve the integrity of the ongoing review. The Council remains committed to upholding the highest standards of medical care and will take all necessary actions based on the outcomes of the investigation.”

KMPDC is a statutory authority established under Cap 253 Laws of Kenya to ensure provision of quality healthcare.

Also read: “I trusted my doctor too much -how I lost my baby“

If you would like to provide any information on maternal or newborn health in Kenya, you may write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

“How I lost my son” -media personality Ndu Okoh shares her heartbreaking story

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
Screengrab: SpiceFM

By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com

Media personality Ndu Okoh has shared the heartbreaking experience of how she lost her dear son, who would be turning 17 this year.

In the Spice Fm morning show on Friday 16 May 2025, which she co-hosted with panelists Mark Bichachi and Dennis Okari, Ndu emotionally recounted her painful experience.

Ndu shared that some point in the pregnancy, she developed a strong sense that something was wrong. She then called her doctor and expressed her concerns. The doctor instructed her to go to hospital which she describes as ‘one of the biggest, best hospitals in this country’. While the doctor was not present at the hospital, she nevertheless assured Ndu that she would be attended to.

Accompanied by her husband, Ndu followed the doctor’s instructions and proceeded to the hospital. However, the strong feeling that something was wrong didn’t leave her, even at the hospital.

“We did the first test and till now I don’t know what the results of that test say. It was a Sunday morning and we sat in this hospital for maybe six hours. Unbeknownst to me at that point, I was leaking amniotic fluid. So obviously at that point my baby was dying, and I didn’t know. But I’m not a doctor and I’m not a medical professional, and I was in a hospital where there were nurses, and there were doctors and there were lab techs who did tests, and they didn’t find out what the problem was. And my baby died the next day with an “I’m sorry” from the doctor.

But what she did the next day was prescribe medication for me that essentially, I went into an unintended abortion which I should have had no business taking on that day, and my son died on the 1st of September. And if they had paid a little bit more attention, if somebody had done what they were supposed to do, I would celebrate my son’s 17th birthday this year in September.

It’s 17 years later but it’s very difficult for me to talk about it. But how many people go through situations whereby we just needed you to pay a little bit more attention. We just needed you to do your job. We just needed you to not be concerned that you can prescribe 10 different tests as opposed to looking at me and saying: “what’s wrong?” Ndu said in her narration.

Among other issues, the panelists discussed some of the problems facing Kenya’s health sector, especially the commercialization of healthcare. All the panelists similarly shared their own personal experiences (including those of their kin) with challenges in seeking quality healthcare services, such as being subjected to questionable medical procedures and consultations.

The panelists called for greater accountability by healthcare providers in serving all those who seek their services.

Also read: What makes you scared to give birth again? Kenyan mothers share their reasons

If you would like to provide any information about maternal health in Kenya, please write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

 

No mother died from childbirth complications in Kiambu in April 2025

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
Screengrab: TV47

By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com

This article is part of the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu series by Mummy Tales and today, we are highlighting a win!

No mother lost her life to childbirth-related complications in Kiambu’s health facilities in April 2025, something that has never happened before. Leading the way is Kiambu Level 5 Hospital which posted an outstanding record of its own with no single maternal death from January – April 2025.

As reported on TV47, data from the Kiambu county maternity department recorded the following births across the county’s health facilities:

  • January – 4,850
  • February – 3,552
  • March – 4,912

Kiambu Level 5 Hospital, which is the flagship health facility in the county, recorded these births in the first three months:

  • January – 608
  • February – 483
  • March – 640

This notable achievement in Kiambu county has been attributed to among others, the concerted efforts of all those in the maternal health ecosystem, including healthcare workers’ commitment to quality of care.

Hearty congratulations to Kiambu county for this significant milestone.

Learn about The Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales: Documenting Maternal Deaths in Kenya.

If you would like to provide any information about notable maternal health initiatives in your county, or if you would like to support the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, please write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

Vanessa Wanjiku’s death while giving life: Documenting maternal deaths in Kenya

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0
The late Vanessa Wanjiku. Photo: Screengrab - K24TV

By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com

Maternal deaths in Kenya are a major public health concern. This is story one of the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, an initiative that is documenting maternal deaths in Kenya. This is borne from the questions we often ask when we learn of a woman’s death while giving life:

“Waaah!! Kwani what happened? Si she was in a hospital? What went wrong?”

After the initial shock, the questions continue:

“In this day and age, why are mothers still dying? Why is maternal mortality still an issue in Kenya? Who is responsible?”

The ‘Wanjiku Kumbukumbu’ project is a memorial board for the Kenyan mothers we have lost to maternal health complications. This is Vanessa Wanjiku’s story.

January 2025, Nairobi County: Vanessa Wanjiku

On 26 January 2025, Vanessa Wanjiku, aged just 26, died while giving birth at Mutuini Hospital in Dagoretti South sub-county, Nairobi County.

Her family says that a healthy Wanjiku arrived at the hospital to deliver her twins around the time of her due date. She bid her family goodbye, upbeat and in high spirits.

“Dad, I’ll be back; I’m at peace,” were the last words Wanjiku said to her father as she left for the hospital, excited about returning home with her new bundles of joy.

At the hospital, Wanjiku was admitted at the maternity wing but sadly, she did not leave the operating table alive. The family believes there was carelessness and inadequate medical oversight in her handling. Even worse, the grieving family says that following her death, no doctor offered them any explanation or information about what had gone wrong during delivery, further compounding their agony.

Could Wanjiku’s death have been prevented?

At 26, the young mother had a very promising future. Tragically, it was cut short. Wanjiku left behind three children; her firstborn aged one and a half, and her newborn twins.

Wanjiku attended her antenatal clinics as recommended. She went to the hospital to deliver, as recommended. She did her best. But she was let down.

Following her death, the Nairobi County government, in a statement, said that ‘the medical personnel did everything possible in their possession to save Wanjiku’s life’.

Watch Wanjiku’s story as reported by K24TV and Inooro TV.

Screengrab: K24TV

The ‘Wanjiku Kumbukumbu’ project by Mummy Tales is a memorial board for the Kenyan mothers we have lost to maternal health complications. Considering that maternal mortality is an important marker of a country’s health, through these women’s stories, I hope that all of us –family, community, medical professionals, researchers, women’s health advocates, policy makers and other leaders can broaden our understanding about why Kenyan mothers continue to die during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of ending their pregnancies.

If you would like to voluntarily provide information about a mother who has lost her life due to maternal health complications in 2025, or if you would like to support the #WanjikuKumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, please reach me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Meanwhile, you may like to read the below articles I have previously published on men who lost their wives to maternal deaths.

  1. How I lost my wife to childbirth complications -Wilson Irungu
  2. How I lost my wife to delivery complications -John Maina

Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER

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