Mike Sonko Urges Parents to Teach Children Courage to Walk Away After Daughter’s Ordeal

 

By Brad Mukopi 

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has urged parents across the country to teach their children—both sons and daughters—that it is better to walk away from an abusive relationship than to stay and risk their lives. His message comes in the wake of a widely circulated video showing him forcibly rescuing his daughter from what he claimed was a violent partner.

Earlier this week, the dramatic footage of Sonko storming his daughter’s home went viral, prompting strong public reaction. Many Kenyans praised him for responding swiftly to a distress call and for refusing to remain silent in the face of alleged gender-based violence (GBV). Behind the public bravado, the former governor said, was the pain of a father desperate to save his child from “violence hidden behind closed doors.”

With his daughter now safely back at home with her children, Sonko has turned his personal ordeal into a call for awareness. He says parents must be alert, attentive, and willing to intervene long before their children are consumed by dangerous relationships.

“Better to Come Home Alive Than in a Coffin”

In a message shared on his social media pages, Sonko appealed to parents to teach their children that leaving a toxic or abusive union is not a sign of failure but an act of survival.

“Dear fellow parents, teach your sons and daughters that coming home after a failed relationship is better than coming home in a coffin,” he wrote.

Sonko emphasized that a broken heart can heal, but a life lost to domestic violence can never be restored. He urged families to provide safe spaces where their children can return without fear of judgment or shame.

National Attention on Rising GBV Cases

The incident has added to the growing conversation around gender-based violence and femicide across Kenya. Sonko’s actions have encouraged many survivors to speak out and have reignited debate over the silent struggles endured in abusive homes.

Following the rescue, Sonko’s daughter left the home she shared with her partner and returned to her parents’ residence with her children. Her experience, Sonko said, should remind society of the urgent need to confront abuse before it ends in tragedy.

A Call for Continued Advocacy

Sonko has continued to advocate for peaceful dispute resolution in relationships and marriages. Drawing from his own long-term marriage to Primrose Mbuvi, he has stressed that violence has no place in any union.

One of his posts captured this sentiment clearly:

“Instead of having an abusive relationship or marriage, it is better kuwa na divorce decree kwa nyumba than a eulogy booklet for your daughter or son. This educative process must continue until all our mothers old or young stand firmly against GBV.”

A Moment That Sparked a Movement

Sonko’s bold response and his subsequent advocacy have sparked broader public conversations about GBV, prevention, and early intervention. Many Kenyans have lauded his willingness to step in and use his experience to educate others, noting that his actions shed light on a widespread but often silent crisis.