Conje hospitalised with mental illness

By ERICK OCHIENG
Conjestina Achieng’, the former world boxing super middleweight sensation has been admitted to a mental hospital.
Achieng’ was admitted to Mathari Mental Hospital on Wednesday with what looks like a mental disorder, Sports Minister Dr Paul Otuoma visited her yesterday and wished her well.

Conjestina Achieng’ (in black) during the interview.

Achieng’s condition has deteriorated over the past month. She has lost faith in boxing, the sport she once loved and cherished, and now terms it as evil and satanic.
To prove this, she has destroyed her gymnasium and is advising other boxers to abandon the sport as it is not ‘approved by God.’
This belief has prompted her to withdraw her son, Charlton Otieno, 10, a class seven pupil from Ngiya Gulf Academy since school, to her, is evil. Achieng’s father, Clement Adala, who travelled from up-country to help his daughter, is now in custody of the boy.
Earlier this week, unconfirmed reports went round that Achieng’ had developed eccentric behaviour.
This prompted FeverPitch team to look for the boxer at her at Lucky Summer Estate, Nairobi, to establish the truth.
I called Adala who agreed to meet us as the boxer’s mobile phone had been switched off. He met us a few metres away from Achieng’s house. During our discussion with him, he admitted something had gone wrong with his daughter.
He requested his grandson Otieno to take us to the house. "But make sure the boy does not step into the house as she (Achieng’) won’t allow him to come out," warned Adala.
On reaching the gate, we released the boy to return to his grandfather. As our photographer Stafford Ondego prepared to take shots Achieng’ emerged from the backyard.
"Hebu semeni shida zenu (what are your problems?), she asked sarcastically. After quickly introducing ourselves, we had to plead with her to understand hat we had not taken any photos of her.
PRAYERS
It is then that she turned to a man who was standing by the gate: "Pastor can they come in?" The man, whom we later learnt has been helping her with prayers, led us into the house. "Make sure you catch up with her before she changes her mind," the pastor warned. Once in the house, she insisted that no one should sit down until she was done with the prayers.
On realising that one of us had not shut his eyes and was not repeating the prayers after her, she insisted that prayers be repeated.
Asked about her boxing career she said: "Boxing? what with boxing? I’m done with boxing, I am no longer a boxer." "Boxing is satanic, God does not want people to beat each other and I have burnt all my gloves and kits."
"Many people are against me, they have committed so much evil against me," she added as tears collected in her eyes.
But the seemingly disturbed boxer insisted nothing was wrong with her. She said she was convinced that some people were out to bring her down.
We learnt that she was taken to Mathari Mental Hospital, Nairobi on Tuesday for examination and further treatment where she was visited by Sports Minister Paul Otuoma and Commissioner of Sports Gordon Oluoch.