A viral photo of Legendary boxer Conjestina Achieng begging in the streets of Siaya has angered majority of Kenyans, who are now asking the Government to intervene and rescue her.
We shared her photo on our channels and many people responded blaming the Ministry of Sports for doing little to save her.
Here are some of the comments:
George Njoroge: And that is why i will always respect late Hon.Mwai Kibaki,he once ordered concerned authorities to take her to a psycharist and counseling on her and she was fine.The handshake brothers are busy campaigning.May God see this heroin through.
Abu Khalifah Zy: And just wait the day she will die ,her budget will go for millions of money but for now they can’t support her so sad.
CHECK OUT >>> From grace to grass – the sad story of Boxer Conjestina Achieng
Gibson Nyakundi: If she was sober and well sponsored politicians including raila will attend her matches but now she is lonely with depression no one cares.maybe raila will visit her and be seen that he has a kind hearted person for votes and forget her.
John Munyoki: Never waste your energy raising kenyan flag high in name of msarendo….it means government cannot support this heroine….so sad yet some pple are crisscrossing our counties barking that they will better lives of our sports men ad women….shame on u leaders
Gibson Nyakundi: This is because the government is corrupt and doesn’t support the talent and poor people.luckily she doesn’t steal anyone’s thing
Edah Jacbz: No matter how much ignorant the nation has decided to be on matters concerning this lady who once made us proud nationwide, , , there is this GOD whom will never abandom her , , we are praying for you Achieng Conjestina, nyar home, , it shall be well w…
Carols Odin: Boxing isn’t easy injuries do occur especially in the head/ nerves due to constant punching which may result in the brain shrinking and may cause mental challenges, as a champ who reigned she should be given the best medication to prolong her life. Serikali tafadhali
From grace to grass – the sad story of Boxer Conjestina Achieng
Conjestina Achieng has been a star name in Kenya since early 2000s as she won several awards being a Kenyan female boxer.
To many people she is known as Conje.
Many upcoming sports people looked up to the champion, hoping that they would reach her levels.
In this article we look at the life of Conjestina and what has conspired since then to date.
The 43-year-old mother of one was born on 20th of October in Yaya, Siaya County as a fifth child in a family of ten children.
She was born to father, Clement Adalo a medic and mother Gertrude Auma with whom she lives with as at now.
Education
She attended St. Jesus Primary School in Siaya for her early educational years and this is where her interest in sports took a firm hold.
While in school, she was a great footballer before discovering her talent in boxing.
According to Conje, her elder brother Joseph Kusimba helped her build her new area of interest step by step.
Career Journey
Her brother Joseph Kusimba was greatly instrumental in Conje’s career as a great inspiration to taking up the art professionally.
She began taking part in boxing matches 2 decades ago, in the year 2000. Two years later, she went on to launch her first professional debut on the eighth day of June, 2002 in Nairobi County and won in a four round decision knocking down her opponent at a 0-2 score.
Over her active 7-year career journey from 2002 up to 2009, Conjestina Achieng boxed in Kenya, Tanzania, Germany and Sweden facing against opponents from across the globe including Laura Ramsey from the United States of America, Janaya David from Atlanta, Georgia, Ugandan Florence Nalukwago, Zimbabwean Monalisa Sibanda, Tanzanian Monica Mwakasanga, Swedish Maria Lindberg and Yvonne Reis from Florida.
Conjestina Achieng had been preparing and anticipating a match with the worldwide boxing star Laila Ali though this was not realized in her career.
Achievements
Conjestina has bagged several accolades and in her career of 27 matches, she won 17 of them, lost in 6 and had 4 draws. This was incredible performance.
She is notably the first African woman to take the vacant Women International Boxing Federation Middleweight Title.
Conje was also ranked the fifth female boxer in the world.
Personal Life
Conjestina Achieng is a single mother to a son, Charlton Otieno who is now 24 years old.
Otieno looks to Conjestina for inspiration, having taken his baby steps in boxing under the wings of the legendary boxer.
“I started training to be a boxer when I was five years old. Mum would take me along with her to the gym where she would put me through some sparring sessions. She was a passionate boxer and relentless in training and that is something I have picked from her. Even though I was her son, there was no favouritism or soft treatment from her. She would treat me as if I was preparing for a bout the next day,” Otieno recalls.
He, for one, does not believe his mother’s illnesses are a product of the constant blows to the head, which she took during her bouts.
“My mum was a professional boxer and knew how to protect her head at all times when in the ring. I feel that her illness has more to do with stress and negligence. Regardless, her struggles have motivated me to grow up fast and pursue a better outcome in my boxing career,” Otieno says.
Conjestina got ill following several frustrations such as the inability to pay up rent and she felt that she was not getting the recognition and rewards that came with her work.
She is said to have spoken on how hard the industry was and the pressures of the same. She was hospitalized a while ago at Mathari Hospital in Nairobi dealing with mental health issues and released later on.
Where is she now?
An heartbreaking photo of Conjestina has been going round on social media, claiming that she is living in Siaya streets. Going per the photo, the once hard-hitting boxing champion is really in a bad state.
Kenyans on social media have been left angry, wondering how the government could not come through for the legend who once raise the Kenyan flag world wide.
Rescue
In 2018, the then Nairobi governor Mike Sonko airlifted her from her rural home in Siaya to Nairobi for treatment in a rehab.
Reports indicate that Conje had been abusing addictive substances for sometimes which might have deteriorated her conditions.
Her mother Gertrude Auma told the media that their neighbors were not treating them kindly because of her condition.
