From friends to foes: Woman in Kisumu acid attack says best friend to blame
The Nairobian
By
Rodgers Otiso
| Apr 24, 2026
A woman in Kisumu is seeking justice after an acid attack left her with severe burns, shattered her livelihood, and plunged her family into uncertainty.
Mercy Owino, a 34-year-old restaurant operator from Nyalenda, is currently admitted to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) following the horrific attack that occurred last Friday evening. Speaking from her hospital bed, Mercy recounted the moment her life changed.
“I was heading home at around 7.30pm. A few metres before reaching my house, I encountered two men on a boda boda. One was riding while the other was a passenger. They poured a liquid into my mouth, and it started flowing down my body to my stomach and legs,” she recalled.
At first, she did not immediately realise the gravity of what had happened. “I thought they were just drunk youths from the area who had poured alcohol on me. But after about a minute, I started feeling a burning sensation. It became intense very quickly. My clothes began burning, and I started screaming for help,” she said.
Her cries attracted neighbours, who rescued her before she was taken to JOOTRH, where she has been receiving treatment.
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As she battles pain and trauma, Mercy believes the attack may be linked to a fallout with a former friend.
“I used to have a friend, and we were close, but we later had issues and went our separate ways. At some point, I heard she was telling people that one day she would punish me. I thought those were just idle threats,” she said.
Mercy explained that tensions escalated after her former friend was found in a compromising situation with a man, which her husband later discovered.
“She believed I was the one who informed her husband, which is not true. That is where the problems started,” she added.
Mercy said the woman had previously issued threats. “She once told me that one day she would injure me and disrupt my marriage because she believed I had made her life worse. I didn’t take it seriously at the time,” she said.
The attack has not only left her physically scarred but has also crippled her financially. A mother of two, Mercy says her family now faces an uncertain future as her source of income has dried up.
“I have two children, and one of them is in school at Ahero Girls. I run a restaurant business, and that is what has been supporting my family. Right now, the business has come to a standstill. I have no income,” she said.
Doctors at JOOTRH say Mercy sustained extensive chemical burns and is undergoing intensive treatment.
“On admission, we initiated the standard burns management protocol, including wound irrigation, pain management and fluid resuscitation, among other aspects of care. She was then admitted to the ward and has been under our care since,” said Dr Olsson Nyabuta, a medical officer at the facility.
Dr Nyabuta added that her condition requires close monitoring to prevent complications.
The incident has sparked concern among legal experts and human rights advocates, who say it reflects a worrying rise in gender-based violence (GBV) cases.
Grace Otieno, Chairperson of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) West Kenya Branch, condemned the rising GBV cases in Kisumu and called for swift action.
“We urge the relevant authorities to act swiftly and ensure that justice is delivered,” she said.
Mercy’s case comes a month after another acid attack in Nairobi involving 24-year-old Seventh-day Adventist gospel singer Mary Claire, who was attacked in March while returning from work. The assault was allegedly orchestrated by an ex-lover.
In Kenya, acid attacks are among the most extreme forms of gender-based violence, often used to inflict permanent disfigurement and psychological trauma. They are frequently linked to domestic disputes, personal vendettas or rejection in relationships.