Mike Sonko Intervenes After Daughter Faces Assault at Home

Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has recounted rushing to Kitengela after receiving a distress call from his daughter, who reported being physically assaulted by her husband.

According to Sonko, the incident began when his daughter called her mother in distress, explaining that her husband had physically harmed her. In a video shared on his Facebook account, Sonko narrates how he immediately went to Kitengela, confronted his son-in-law, and ensured his daughter’s safety by taking her away from the home. He instructed the husband to follow later with his parents.

In the video, Sonko is seen admonishing the man, reminding him that he had been assisted with rent and school fees for their children, yet still resorted to violence simply because his wife asked what to prepare for breakfast.

“The guy slapped my daughter. Two slaps. He hit my daughter for asking about breakfast. It was not good,” Sonko stated. He emphasized that domestic violence causes both physical and emotional trauma.

“I’m very sure many suffer in silence, but we must talk about these issues. If my own daughter can face harassment in her home, what about countless young women and men in Kenya who suffer silently?” he said.

Sonko urged victims to seek medical and legal help, warning that internal injuries from physical abuse can be life-threatening. He also appealed to parents, spouses, and society to prevent violence at home.

“Marriage is never a smooth road, but when challenges turn into violence, the very foundation of that marriage is shaken. No one deserves that,” he said.

He further warned that perpetrators would no longer evade accountability, stressing that hitting women or children is unacceptable, regardless of social or economic status.

“This nonsense of hitting women must stop. Whether you are poor or rich, don’t hit your own child. Just talk to her nicely,” Sonko declared.

ParentsAfrica joins the public in condemning all forms of domestic violence. We call on families, communities, and authorities to prioritize dialogue, patience, and non-violent conflict resolution in households. We reaffirm our support for initiatives that protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable as the world continues to observe the Purple Movement against gender-based violence.