A young man who allegedly disguised himself as a female student and fabricated a story about school expulsion over unpaid fees was exposed in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County after a family that had offered him shelter became suspicious of inconsistencies in his account.
Ian Mong’are reportedly approached the shop of Mary Karabera in the Kware area dressed in a schoolgirl’s outfit comprising a dress, sweater, socks and shoes, while carrying a backpack. He claimed to be a stranded student from Kiminini in Bungoma County who had been expelled from school because of unpaid fees.
According to Karabera, Mong’are said strangers had brought him to Nairobi and later to Rongai, where he was searching for a woman he identified only as ‘Mama Gloria’.
Although Karabera questioned parts of the story; particularly why a school would send away a student during an ongoing period of school protests — she sympathised with the individual and offered food and accommodation for the night.
However, doubts began to emerge after phone numbers Mong’are provided for his alleged aunt and teacher failed to go through.
Karabera’s daughter, Ruth Nyambeki, became increasingly suspicious after Mong’are allegedly gave conflicting details about his identity, age and family background. At different times, he reportedly provided varying names for himself and his father.
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As the inconsistencies mounted, Nyambeki began recording the interaction and later confirmed that Mong’are was male, sparking a confrontation that attracted a crowd to the family home.
Mong’are was later escorted to the Kware chief’s office after a mob gathered, with some members of the public reportedly attempting to attack him.
During questioning, Mong’are admitted that he had posed as a girl because he believed women and girls were more likely to receive sympathy and assistance from the public. He further confessed to travelling through several counties soliciting money from well-wishers using the same narrative.
He told residents that his difficulties began two years ago following the death of his mother. He claimed his father had earlier died in a road accident while working as a driver, leaving him and his siblings under the care of a stepmother. After his mother’s death, Mong’are said he dropped out of school and turned to cattle herding.
The incident has raised concerns over the exploitation of hardship narratives to solicit public sympathy, while also highlighting the vulnerability of young people who fall out of the education system without adequate social support.
By Benedict Aoya
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