Nyamira County women have blamed brewers of illicit gin for having contributed to their husbands absconding family duty.
According to a group of women from Nyabuya village, most of their husbands have neglected the duty of protecting and providing for their families and instead reverted to excessive drinking.
Mary Gwaro, a mother of three, says her husband has never shown up in their home for the last three days and he has been spotted severally in a drinking den.
“My young marriage is facing all sorts of troubles. My husband who works as a painter never comes home whenever he has been paid by the employer. I have never seen him for the last three days and my children have been sleeping hungry,” she said.
The situation is similar or perhaps worse for Eunice Kwamboka who has never met her husband for the last one week despite seeing him visiting chang’aa dens.
“Sometimes as women we run short of words. We are everything in our marriages because the so called husbands are not cooperating,” she says.
They have now asked the government to intervene and impose stiff penalties on brewers whom they claim have repeatedly violated ‘Mututho Laws’.
“Brewers have made it impossible for us to meet or benefit from our husbands. The law is clear that there should be a stipulated time for drinking and this is not the case here. An action ought to be taken,” said Agnes Rioba.