Meet the Form 3 girl from Meru who's 6 feet 9 inches in height

A 15-year-old secondary school girl in Meru county turns heads wherever she goes, owing to her startling height.
Jackline Mwende, a Form Three student at Gikurune Girls High School in Imenti South stands at a towering height of 6 feet 9 inches, taller than even most of her teachers, let alone schoolmates.

At that height, the teenager is taller than top American basketballer LeBron James and nearly the height of legendary NBA player Shaquille O’neal, who is 7 ft 1in.

During a previous media interview with The Standard, Mwende said that at first, she was conscious of her height and hated the stares, but with time, she came to appreciate her uniqueness and is even glad to pose for photos with strangers who request her.

“At first, I was not comfortable with people stopping their activities to watch me walk past as I accompanied my school mates or grandmother during the holidays. This made my grandmother Abishag Mbae very protective of me. Purity Mbae, my mother, is currently away studying and working, so I live with my grandmother at Nthimbiri, in Imenti North. It became a habit for my grandmother to accompany me on most outings. She is a very helpful companion. With time, however, my confidence grew and I began to appreciate my uniqueness. Today, I am honoured when someone asks me to pose for photos with them!” said the girl, an only child to her parents of Meru origin, but are abroad in Australia.

In school, she has a challenging time walking into regular height doors, sitting in desks or the school bus, but she welcomes all this as what comes with her unique nature.

“When her grandmother told us that she was very tall and would probably be a challenge to us, we had no idea she was this tall. When we eventually met her, we thought her height might affect her self-esteem, but were pleasantly surprised to learn that it was the opposite. She is very likable and assertive. When she has a problem, she raises it without fear. She also makes friends easily. In fact, when she joined our institution, Mwende turned down an offer to have a special bed and locker made for her. She wanted to have the same facilities and treatment as other students and we respected that,” commented the school’s principal Purity Riungu, who described the girl as an obedient and keen student.

Mwende, an active member of the basketball team in her school, hopes to join the media for a career in journalism, when she grows up.