Martin Kamotho, popularly known as Githeriman is a troubled man.
Photos of Githeriman in a trolley dead drunk in June this year have prompted his fellow Head of State Commendation (HSC) award holder and addiction counselor, Police Sergeant (Sgt) Moses Kimenchu into action.
Githeriman in 2018 graduated from a rehabilitation program at the Mama Care Addiction and Recovery Centre under Kiambu Woman Rep Gathoni wa Muchomba in an event that was even graced by President Uhuru Kenyatta, who personally handed him the graduation certificate.
It had been believed that he was completely rehabilitated, but Sergeant Kimenchu intimated that he is now in stage 5 of alcoholism, which is the habitual consumption phase, and he needs urgent help.
“The man requires urgent medical attention, mentorship, and counseling before his case gets out of hand,” Sgt Kimenchu told the Daily Nation in Murang’ a.
After assessing him, the counsellor revealed five things that are frustrating him and driving him even deeper into alcoholism.
Pressure from people around him believing that he is a 'big man'
Ever since he got the HSC, people around him believed that he had already made it big, and now they wanted a piece of the cake.
There was a lot of media attention on him and businesses were keen to cash in on his fame. This may have created the impression to people around him that he was well off, which was far from reality.
His photo sent ripples through social media, and TV talk show hosts fought to have him in the hot seats, with social media making memes out of him.
The president coming to his graduation from rehab only elevated his celebrity status, but the reality on the ground is that he had nothing other than a famous name and a famous face.
In an interview in 2018, he intimated that he has developed a tendency to act rich because that is how people perceive him.
Companies that contracted him did not pay him
With the Githeriman fire roaring, a multitude of companies approached Mr. Kamotho to advertise their products.
This reportedly sent Mr. Kamotho to the edge, and he started drinking heavily thus landing in the hole he is in right now.
Sgt Kamenchu intimated to the Daily Nation that many companies which contracted Mr. Kamotho to advertise their products never kept their end of the bargain.
He was frustrated that he had been taken advantage of, and thus he sought solace in alcoholism.
Donations from wellwishers
At the height of Githeriman's fame, a real estate firm called with the offer of a piece of land while a tour company wrote a cheque for a luxurious holiday trip for him and his family.
Mr. Kamenchu told the Nation that many people sent Githeriman money, but there was no one to give him proper financial management ideas.
With time, there was money coming in from many quarters, and it proved hard to manage. He lapsed into drinking, a hole that he has not managed to crawl out of till now.
Did not Change his environment
"Even after rehabilitation, Mr. Kamotho went back to his usual living area. There was no follow up from the rehab’s management," said Sgt Kimenchu.
With his knowledge of counseling and experience with drug addicts, he concluded that Mr. Kamotho needs an urgent relocation to a new environment to move on from the life of alcoholism.
All the fame and monetary boost found him in the dusty ghettos of Kayole and when everyone forgot about him, he was still in the same ghetto.
Mr. Kimenchu said that even after his graduation he immediately went back to drinking due to the disillusionment of ending up on the very same environment that introduced him to drugs.
5. Lack of follow-up and empowerment
Sgt Kimenchu stated that Githeriman needs mentorship and training to acquire new skills that will enable him to tackle addiction and overcome his current challenges.
Sadly, after the dust had settled on his graduation, nobody was there to follow up and see how he was doing with the program. This made it easier for him to slip back into alcoholism, a hole that he has dug so deep right now.
