The Standard reported on Tuesday, September 17, that members of a family in Njoro Sub-county, Nakuru County, are in anguish after KDF abandoned their son, who is mentally disturbed after a mission in Somalia.
The family alleged that John Njoroge was one of the soldiers who survived the January 27, 2017 attack by Al Shabaab at Kulbiyow Camp, that left at least 68 of his colleagues dead and many others maimed.
Since then, his family noticed a change in his behavior, which worsened with time.
“He was well until after that attack. When he came back home from the deployment, we started noticing a change in behavior. He would fight with anyone, including me, and later apologize,” stated Njoroge’s father Peter Mwangi.
The soldiers's father also reported that his son returned to the military and was posted to the 20th Parachute Battalion based at Kenyatta Barracks in Gilgil.
In October 2018, however, he returned home and allegedly told family members that he had been granted a 3-month leave and would resume work in January. It was at this time that the family realized that the problem was deeper than had been imagined.
“When he arrived home he was calm. The next morning, he broke 12 glass windows of a house he built for us. He threatened to kill his wife with whom he had one child. His wife left with the child,” his father was quoted.
The family alleged that the matter was reported to the Njoro Police Station, where it was referred to military police officers who are reported to have picked Njoroge from his home.
His father told The Standard that the military promised to take him to Defence Forces Memorial Hospital. The family was later informed that Njoroge had been transferred to Embakasi Barracks.
The soldier's mother thought that her son's transfer meant that his health had improved, only for a friend to spot Njoroge wandering in the streets of Nairobi, seeming confused and lost, wearing only one shoe.
The Standard reported that after contacting KDF, the publication was told that Njoroge's contract with the military was terminated before his condition worsened.
“Second Lieutenant (Rtd) John Njoroge Mwangi is no longer serving in the Kenya Defence Forces. His commission was terminated in August 2018, on disciplinary grounds. During his time in service, he did not exhibit any signs of psychological disturbance," The Standard quoted a letter from the Department of Defence (DoD).
The DoD further claimed that there were no plans to help Njoroge because he was no longer serving in in KDF.
