Former Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi, popularly known as Sonko, has promised to pay for the restoration of Irene Mbithe's eyesight, a victim of a hyena attack.

Mbithe has been living with one eye and one hand after she survived an attack by a hyena. Her life changed six years ago, after she was dumped at the Tsavo National Park.

The story begins in Pipeline, Nairobi, where Mbithe had visited her aunt. After the visit, she planned to return home to Machakos, but instead of ending up at home, she found herself in a national park, screaming for help.

On July 29, Mbithe was excited as she went to City Cabanas to board a matatu to Machakos. Unfortunately, because she arrived late, she missed the vehicle.

Irene Mbithe, lady attacked by wild animal at national park, April 4, 2025.

Photo

Screengrab from Citizen TV

Optimistic and determined to still get home, she begged a driver whose truck was parked by the road for a lift. Little did she know, this would be the last time she would have both her limbs and eyesight.

The man agreed to drop her off at the Machakos junction. The drive was smooth, and everything seemed fine until they reached Mlolongo, when the driver asked her to pass him a bottle of water that was next to her seat. That was the last thing she remembered.

The next thing she knew, she woke up in Mombasa. The driver refused to tell her why he had driven her there and also refused to give her money for the fare back to Machakos.

Desperate to get home, she went to a truck yard and began begging for a ride back. She was fortunate to find one, as one of the men in the truck spoke her local dialect, and she managed to convince them to give her a lift. There were three men in the truck.

They started their journey around 5 p.m., but as they approached Mariakani, one man began demanding intimate favours from her.

“The driver set the truck to self-drive and turned back to me. He then pulled his trousers down to his knees and began touching me. I rejected the offer, and that’s when he ordered me to get out of the vehicle,” she narrated.

That is when she was attacked by the hyena, which tore her apart, feasting on her eye and one of her arms.

"When I saw it, I was shocked. I tried to run, but it caught me and feasted on my face. While I was trying to escape, it grabbed me by my arm, dragged me to the fence, and ate my hand as I watched," she painfully explained.

Touched by the heart-wrenching story, which was aired on Citizen TV, the former governor promised to settle her three months' rent and facilitate her treatment, which would include an eye transplant.

"I am very sorry for what you went through. We have an eye hospital here in Nairobi, equipped with doctors from India. I will ensure you go there and have your eye restored," the former governor promised.

Irene Mbithe (left) with journalist Lulu Hassan (right) during the 'Shajara ya Lulu', April 4, 2025.

Photo

Screengrab from Citizen TV