Joseph Gitumbe, a former KDF officer, has revealed his intriguing inner battles and struggles that saw him plan for the deaths of his wife and colleagues after he left the military service six years ago.
A road accident in 2013 was his turning point. He was rushed to the hospital and doctors worked tirelessly to reshape his disfigured face before he was discharged several weeks later to recover at his home.
“The impact was enough to shatter my nose, eye sockets and left cheek, and cause a deep cut from my forehead to my cheek,‘’ he explained.
His self-esteem was gravely dented, in addition to the serious injuries that he had incurred in the car crash. Several broken ribs, a broken spine and facial wounds had him constantly wincing in pain. To add salt to injury, his wife left him and and some of his friends abandoned the military man at this crucial moment.
"She told me that my face scares our child. It broke my heart. I felt like committing suicide. My wife decided to rent a separate house,” he recounted.
Life in the army barracks was unbearable because his colleagues called him very demeaning names that he became depressed and kept to himself. He even recalls how he would ask the doctors attending to him to cut off his head. Eventually, the medics reported that he was unfit to work and he was handed papers of his removal from service
Mr. Gitumbe, at this point, started harboring murderous thoughts towards his wife, colleagues then eventually commit suicide.
“I had decided to kill my colleagues who were on the doctors’ board. How could they preside over my dismissal yet they knew I needed help? I was going to kill my wife and thereafter kill myself,” stated Joseph.
One day, he decided to go for a prayer meeting at Redeemed Gospel Church in Huruma, Nairobi, where he met a pastor, who was also a counseling psychologist, who made him understand the value of life.
“I went there for prayers. But she was scared of me because I was very unstable to the point of shaking. She however. managed to calm me down and convinced me to ditch my plan. She told me that I was still valuable despite my scars.”
He started counseling sessions with the cleric and his life has never been the same again, says Joseph who is now a fully fledged pastor.
