Dagoretti North Member of Parliament Beatrice Elachi has opened up about the most painful experience she has faced on social media—losing her son and reading public reactions online.
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Elachi Recounts the Pain of Losing Her Son
Speaking on Thursday, May 29, Elachi revealed that the death of her son, Elvis Murakana Namenya, marked her darkest moment on social media. She said family members kept informing her of how Kenyans reacted online, despite her personal effort to stay away from the platforms.
“My worst experience is when they talked about my son, whom nobody knew. Thank God I don’t read social media, but sometimes families come to you and give you a story, and you are wondering, is it on social media?” she said.
File image of the late Elvis Murakana Namenya, son of Beatrice Elachi
Reflections on Other Tragedies and Online Abuse
Elachi also recalled the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Were and how Kenyans reacted online. “The other one was when we were walking the journey with the children of the late Honorable Were. I wondered where Kenya was,” she stated, questioning how online narratives affect grieving families.
Calls for Social Media Regulation
The ODM MP emphasized the need for legislative reforms to regulate social media and shield families from abuse and misinformation. “We will have to change the law to just cushion not just us but many families who have gone through this wrath,” she said.
Elachi’s Prayer Against Social Media Harm
On Wednesday, during the National Prayer Breakfast at Safari Park, Elachi led a prayer asking God to intervene in what she described as an evil spirit manipulating social media to disrupt peace and families.
“Father, we pray that this social media has decided to run our country. That spirit, our Father in heaven, we want to confess as the legislature that indeed we must sort out that sector.”
Details Surrounding the Death of Elvis
Elachi lost her son Elvis on March 25 following a tragic road accident. Elvis had gone out around 10 p.m. and was returning home when his car suffered a tyre burst. The accident left him with severe head trauma and a brain shift injury. Despite efforts by medical professionals, Elvis succumbed while in the ICU.
In the aftermath, Elachi was subjected to insensitive comments online, with some netizens mocking her instead of expressing sympathy. Her experience underscores the increasing call for digital responsibility and compassion in Kenya’s online community.
