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Who Was Mercy Njeri? The Little-Known Schoolgirl After Whom a Nakuru Estate Was Named

The article documents the story of Mercy Njeri, a Kiamunyi schoolgirl born in 1975 who developed rheumatic heart disease. It reports that community fundraising efforts failed to raise enough money for surgery, after which President Daniel arap Moi intervened in 1985. Mercy travelled to the United Kingdom for surgery but died following the operation. The article says her former school was subsequently renamed in her honour and identifies several Nakuru places that continue to carry her name.

Mercy Njeri signboard
Mercy Njeri road sign

A January 2026 Kenya Times article recounting the story of Mercy Njeri, a girl from Kiamunyi, Nakuru, whose death following heart surgery in the UK in 1985 was followed by the renaming of her former school and the emergence of other places bearing her name. The article describes her childhood illness, fundraising efforts, President Daniel arap Moi’s involvement in arranging surgery, her death, funeral, and the subsequent memorialisation of her name in Nakuru.

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About Susan Kihika

The source traces Susan Kihika’s career from her education and legal work in the United States to her return to Kenya and subsequent political career. It covers her service as the first…

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