Lucy Gichuhi, the first black African member of the Federal Parliament of Australia, has opened up about the physical violence she endured in her marriage.
The Kenyan-born senator published a new book, Behind The Smile: From the Slopes of Mount Kenya to Commonwealth Parliament of Australia, where she talked about her personal life and political career.
In the book, Gichuhi detailed her reaction to infidelity and domestic violence, as well as her journey to the Upper House of parliament in 2017.
On one occasion in 1999, she recounted how all hell broke loose after her husband William Gichuhi, eavesdropped on one of her phone calls expressing frustration on his refusal to support their family.
“William did not say a single thing to me that whole week. He was furious… I asked him about a bill that needed to be paid. Suddenly, he charged at me like a raging bull and slapped me so hard across the face,” she narrated.
She went on to reveal how her husband’s hand got hurt and started bleeding after he hit the wardrobe with his hand and broke the mirror.
“I was terrified, confused and shattered all at the same time. It brought back memories of being in Kenya when William had hit me hard and slapped me around the face after an argument,” she stated.
Gichuhi told The Australian, a local publication, how she once busted her husband, whom she’s still married to, sleeping with one of her seven sisters, who he was having a love affair with.
Senator Gichuhi noted that she chose to share her story in order to inspire and give hope to girls that they can still be whatever they wanted, no matter the challenges they encounter.
“We women need to start talking seriously about deep issues that affect us and shed light on the truth,” part of her website reads.
The book also outlined her childhood as a barefoot farmer who did not own a pair of shoes until she was 12-years-old but still went ahead to become a senator.
In 2018, Gichuhi made headlines when she was compelled to pay back thousands of Australian dollars of taxpayers’ money she used to fly two family members to Adelaide for her 50th birthday party.
