Hello, my names are Christopher Kamuhia Mwangi a very grateful recovering alcoholic and drug addict. I went to school just like any other normal kid that was Uhuru Estate Primary School, where I sat for my K.C.P.E. in 1987. I passed with 425 out of 600 points (A-). I was then called to Pumwani Boys High School.

That was where all trouble started, since I wanted recognition. I started by puffing bhang whenever a chance arose. Chang’aa was easily available and cheap, so consuming it proved to be top of the list, for kids of my age. Soon I was caught up in the messy maze of addiction because I had the dreaded “X Factor” which meant my genes were hereditarily alcoholic prone even before I had consumed alcohol. My father was as an alcoholic, my Grandfathers (from both sides) were both alcoholics, i.e. alcoholism runs in the family. It became my routine to visit the chang’aa dens every weekend and quench my already growing thirst for the illicit drink. Money to purchase the illegal stuff started being a stumbling block. Jericho Estate being my home area, I started hanging around criminal guys which led me to change my behavior for the worse, i.e. breaking into and stealing from houses in the nearby Buruburu and Harambee estates.

When I went to Form II, some boys from the school and I broke into the school laboratory and stole some valuables which included the microscope. I was then expelled from the school and now indulged more in criminal activities. My mum, a primary school teacher, secured another school for me which was Mweru Mixed Secondary School in Mukurwe-ini. There, no one could tell or show me anything because they were all from up-country and I was from the city i.e. know it at mentality. I initiated a lot of boys and girls into smoking bhang and drinking of muratina which I got readily available after jumping over the fence and purchasing it at a nearby farmers’ residence. After a year at Mweru, I led the school to strike after which I was expelled.

Now I decided no more school. I was now a fully-fledged criminal with criminal tendencies. I also moved from my mum’s house and rented a one roomed house in Dandora. In the mornings we were breaking into houses and come evening we would mug people near Gill House and Commercial stage for matatus plying route 58 in Town Centre. When I got arrested, I could make arrangements for the Officer-Commanding Station (OCS) to get bribe so that he/she would organize my release. There came a time when I got arrested and I had nothing to bribe my way out. I was taken to court and spent 6 months in the dreaded Industrial Area Remand Prison, ROOM A1. My Mum came along with the OCS to try and secure my release on condition that I got back to school. Their attempt was fruitful and I was released and taken to a Ndathi Secondary School, which was a bush school in Kiganjo. The school had no electricity and Mt. Kenya forest was its neighbor.

Now I realized that everyman was for his own and God was for us all. I started getting serious in life and emerged top in all exams. After sitting for my KCSE exams, I was the first person ever from that school to be called for a course in the University of Nairobi (UON), my registration number was E35/1575/1996, Department of Linguistics and Literature in the College of Education and External Studies(C.E.E.S.) in Kikuyu.

Having reached UON, I was on top of the world and still smoking bhang and drinking and I got knocked down by a vehicle on Jogoo Road and broke my right leg. So I had to differ and seek re-admission again. I was re-admitted with the 1998 lot and now my room became a bar. I used to go to Mathare and buy JET A1 Aviation fuel, mix it with water at the required ratio and sell to the students and the subordinate staff. I went to Teaching Practice in the old school (Ndathi) and finished successfully.

Come the beginning of my fourth year, I and some of my campus-mates went out for a drink at the nearby Thogoto Shopping Centre. There we found the then Halls Officer in the company of campus girls buying them drinks. We provoked him, beat him up and stole Kshs 16,000/= from him, broke into his car and stole the car stereo radio.

Since I was from a nearby estate, in Nairobi, each weekend I would go home and come back mid-week. After the incident, I went home only to return and be told that my accomplices had been taken to the university Senate then, the Council and expelled. I had nothing to do other than pack my things and vacate campus, thinking that I had been expelled alongside them.

My criminal friends had now deserted me because the liquor I was consuming had now overpowered me, such that my general cleanliness left a lot to be desired and everyone could raise their eyebrows whenever I was around, not good for criminal business. I opted to selling bhang in the streets of Jericho. There I came across an old newspaper with number of guys who had been expelled from UON, after roughing up the Halls Officer, but my admission number was not there, meaning I had absconded school. From then on, I started visiting the UON Academic Registrar to see if I would be re-admitted but to no success.

My Mum was always praying and going to Al-Anon meetings where she would learn more about alcoholism since she was now a co - dependant (one who lives with an alcoholic also suffers maybe even more than the alcoholic himself due to his behaviors and sickness). There, she (Mum) came to learn about Mr. Joseph K. Mwangi and his therapeutic work.

On my first visit to Mr. Mwangi’s Centre, I came to realize that I really had a problem but I refused to be left behind for the residential program, i.e. through stubbornness brought about by alcoholism. But since it was on a Friday, I promised that I would come back to his Centre on Tuesday for the residential program.

That day is still very fresh in my mind, since it is like my second birthday because I haven’t indulged in substance abuse anymore from that day (May 22nd 2005).

I am now happily sober for 12 years plus and I presume I will stay like that (sober) for the remaining days of my life since I am sick of alcoholism and I cannot drink alcohol controllably. The best I can do is to keep away from the drink since I cannot be able to control taking it. The only alcohol you can control is the one in the bottle.

After finishing my program, Mr. Mwangi wrote a letter to the Chief Medical Officer, at UON, and I was promptly re-admitted into fourth year. I finished my undergraduate degree course in July 2008 and I am currently working as a Counselor.I graduated in September, 2009, a record 13 years after I got admitted into University of Nairobi. Never shun and shut of your history but use it to learn so that you never repeat the same mistakes you did previously. Let GO and let GOD.

A message to all the youth:

Please abstain from alcohol, it doesn’t make you who you can be. Understand yourself and accept who you are and live life regardless of the ups and downs of life. You are a blessing to the world.