How I Lost 16 Years of Marriage | He Beat Me Daily, But I Stayed for Love Until the Last Day

Ann Wamalwa shares the painful journey of her marriage—a chapter marked by relentless suffering at the hands of her husband and in-laws. Her husband made her life unbearable, and her mother-in-law even physically assaulted her. Ann was born in Maragoli, but her father passed away when she was just three years old. Raised by her mother, Ann’s life took a difficult turn when her mother was involved in a serious accident. With no one else to help, Ann had to take on the responsibility of caring for her. At the age of 15, Ann entered into marriage unexpectedly. She met a man and went to visit him in Bungoma. He kept her locked in his house for three days, making it impossible for her to return home to Eldoret. From the very beginning, life with him was harsh. She was forbidden from speaking to anyone and endured frequent beatings. Despite the abuse, Ann stayed—driven by love and hope. She gave birth to her first child under dire conditions. Her husband insisted that 2 kilograms of maize flour should last an entire week. The baby had no clothes, and he showed no concern. Ann was isolated and knew no one around her. When the baby was three months old, tensions with her mother-in-law escalated. The local chief intervened, advising the mother-in-law to give her son land to build a separate house so the couple could live peacefully. Ann survived on sugarcane left by her husband. When she planted food crops on the land, he leased it out, leaving her with nothing. In 2012, Ann became pregnant with their second child. Her sister-in-law sent money through Ann’s phone, which enraged her mother-in-law. As a result, Ann and her husband were thrown out and forced to rent a house. Her husband had started smoking bhang (marijuana), and any attempt to question him led to brutal beatings. He assaulted her so severely that her teeth fell out. At one point, he even used a metal rod to beat her. Her legs were badly injured from the abuse, and by sheer luck, she was taken to the hospital. While there, she discovered she was pregnant again. Due to the medication she had received, the pregnancy failed. Her husband was nowhere to be found and didn’t pay the hospital bills. A compassionate nurse secretly discharged her, allowing her to return home. The violence escalated to the point where the chief had to intervene repeatedly. Ann was told to accept that her husband had taken another wife. Her mother-in-law threatened her, saying her son could kill her and nothing would be done about it. In one terrifying incident, Ann recounts how her husband took her to the river at night with the intention of ending her life. She endured unimaginable torment in a marriage she once believed would improve—but it only grew worse.