Vane Nyanchoka Ontweka delivers three boys and a girl in a rare birth at Nyanchwa Hospital, honoring the late Raila Odinga and his wife Ida in a symbolic gesture of hope and remembrance.
Jubilant scenes unfolded at Nyanchwa Hospital in Kisii on Monday morning after a local woman delivered quadruplets — three boys and one girl — in a rare and joyous event that has drawn nationwide attention.
The mother, Vane Nyanchoka Ontweka, gave birth via caesarean section, naming her newborn sons Raila, Amolo, and Odinga, and her daughter Ida, after Kenya’s late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga and his wife, Ida Odinga.
According to Dr. Maria Lyther, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, the delivery was successful despite the challenges associated with carrying four babies.
“We were delighted to deliver the babies,” Dr. Lyther said. “The mother faced some difficulties because of the combined weight of the quadruplets, but both she and the newborns are now in stable condition.”
Nurses and staff broke into song and celebration after the delivery, describing the moment as one of “hope and new life.”
‘I Didn’t Expect Four’ — Mother’s Surprise
Nyanchoka, still beaming with disbelief, said she was initially told to expect triplets.
“I didn’t expect them to be four,” she said with a laugh. “The ultrasound showed only three. Toward the end, it was difficult even to walk or breathe — but I thank God for this blessing.”
This is not Nyanchoka’s first multiple birth; she already has a set of twins at home.
“First twins, now quadruplets — only God can do that,” she said with gratitude.
According to the attending nurse, Everline Mong’are, the decision to name the babies after the Odingas was spontaneous and heartfelt.
“When she developed complications, it happened around the time the news broke about Raila’s death,” Mong’are explained. “We said, ‘Raila has come back in a big way.’ So we named the boys Raila, Amolo, and Odinga — and the tiny girl, Ida.”
The symbolic naming has resonated with many Kenyans online, with social media users calling the gesture “a fitting tribute” to one of the country’s most iconic political families.
Hospital administrators have appealed for community and government assistance to help Nyanchoka care for her newborns.
“Raising four babies at once is no easy task,” said Dancun Mosioma, a senior administrator at Nyanchwa Hospital. “We are calling on well-wishers to lend a helping hand as the family begins this extraordinary journey.”
As news of the quadruplets spread through Kisii and beyond, locals flocked to the hospital to offer their congratulations and gifts. Many described the birth as a moment of national unity and divine favor.
“This story brings joy during difficult times,” said one visitor outside the hospital ward. “It’s as if hope itself was reborn.”
