In her heydays, Conjestina Achieng was Nyar Siaya, a phrase reserved for the most iconic and influential women from Luo Nyanza.
And Conje, as most of her fans call her was the creme de la creme of all the talents that came from the region. At the top of her game, she won the world middle weight championship. During the time, the sports was and is still little known in the country.
At the time, everyone wanted to be associated with the Conje, pictures of her with influential personalties among them former Prime Minister Raila Odinga are dotted across the social media.
But as they saying goes, Kenyans only associate with you during the sunshine moments but all disappear during the rainy season, Conjestina has come to know what this means.
Two pictures with very clear messages. When Congestina was a shinning star, the Lord of Poverty was there with her, now it has taken Governor Mike Sonko to intervene and airlift her from Siaya to Nairobi for treatment and assured job later. Raila is mean and an opportunist pic.twitter.com/wAhnebe0eI
— Berber wa Taifa ?? (@_fels1) November 2, 2018
Conjestina was diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder/paranoid schizophrenia and was admitted in Mathari Hospital in 2012. The condition has seen her in and out of hospital since then.
However, the conditions of the neglected boxer worsened in recent times prompting a public outcry. An undated video of the former queen of the ring emerged recently on social media sites painting a pale shadow of the former hard-hitting pugilist.
The video captures the former WIBF Middleweight world champion in a chat with admirers from a vehicle as they filmed her.
They ask her to throw some punches in the air to reminisce her glory days which she obliges, typical of her glorious boxing days.
In the recording, Conjestina, glad in black faded t-shirt and white trouser goes ahead to strike some impressive boxing poses.
The impressed admirers then hand her Sh100 and ask her to deduct Sh50 and hand back the change, which she obliges.
It is a shame that, no Nyanza politician including Raila Odinga and the Siaya County government came to rescue Conjestina.
It took the efforts of Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, to get Conje some help. The Nairobi governor has airlifted Conje to Nairobi.
My team is currently airlifting ailing veteran female boxer #CongestinaAchieng from her rural home in Gem, Siaya County for treatment in Nairobi. I’ll ensure she’s fully rehabilitated and treated before she’s assisted to get a stable job. pic.twitter.com/zkeG4jP59r
— Mike Sonko (@MikeSonko) November 2, 2018
All Nyanza politicians should be ashamed of this gesture.