Consequences

These external forces lead to internal conflicts within the widow. She succumbs to self-condemnation, blaming herself for her fate.

These external forces lead to internal conflicts within the widow. She succumbs to self-condemnation, blaming herself for her fate. She feels guilty internalizing the fact that she was responsible for her husband’s death. This self-condemnation grows deeper and becomes self-annihilating. Some widows therefore accept that they are accursed, unlucky and have no rights to be cheerful, other than be perpetually mournful.

The general widowhood in Kenya today, portrays negative stereotyping and stigmatization. It is an abuse of human dignity which perpetuates further psychological violence to a person who is grieved. It is a form of sexist oppression, because a widower seems protected by the society from any stereotype and social stigma. The long burial tussles, financial and property disposition all turn a widow into a pauper. In some communities, there are enslaving rituals and observations a widow has to under-go, during and after mourning period. A widow also succumbs to unnecessary scrutiny of her life. She is sometimes omitted in major decisions about her life e.g. planning her husband’s burial, property disposition.