For boxing coach 'Chair', there's life after crime

Boxing coach John Ochieng during the 2025 Nairobi Intermediate Boxing Championships in Githurai. [Jonah Onyango, Standard] In one of his countless posts on his Facebook account, Thailand Boxing Club's head coach John 'Chair' Ochieng says thus; "Don't forget yourself. Loving yourself also means accepting yourself with all your flaws, all the negative aspects of you, and all the things you don't really like about yourself..." Ochieng has a past that many people in Githurai 45 would wish to quickly forget. To him too, it is a constant reminder of how not to live. He's done countless atrocities against himself, man and God. Fondly known as 'Chair', Ochieng was one dreaded being. He led the estate's gang that left many in trepidation. They were fearless. Some were ruthless, while a few more were simply petrifying. Githurai, also known then as Kona Mbaya, was not for the faint-hearted. Crime was like a cup of tea. It was being served from any corner, alley, or spot. Whether one was in need of it or not, you had to partake of it; whether day or night. Young and restless, Ochieng and his gang turned to crime for survival. They thrived in it. They were living large. So bold were these guys that they'd bargain on a victim's belonging even before they stole it. Whoever promised to part with more money, kept the stolen item. "Surviving in Githurai was a big deal. There was too much insecurity. The nearest police stations were in Muthaiga and Ruiru, which were kilometres away. Even when we committed crime, we knew the response time would be too long," says Ochieng. "Kimbo Police post was erected because of our notoriety in the estate." For someone who was a polished footballer, turning to boxing was part of the survival tactics then. Boxing was for fun, self-defence and instilling fear. "We used to box for self-defence and not as a sport. We wanted to strike fear into the hearts of many people," said Ochieng. The Githurai roundabout was the epicentre of them all. It was the most-dreaded part of the estate. Passengers would hurriedly hide any earthly belonging they had as their vehicle approached the bus stop. Women would squeeze their umbrellas in their bags, which they'd tactfully tuck under their armpits, close to their hearts. Men would be seen removing their wrist watches and caps. Any lose cash would be stashed quite far away... there was no taking chances. Living in this crazy world, they didn't want to be their next victims. This was the daily song; day and night... But Ochieng's Damascus moment was nigh. They were losing one too many of their friends to crime. They were a worried lot. They had every reason to because they knew they were dead men walking. Ochieng's wife Elizabeth was a widow-in-waiting... "It was a terrifying moment for sure. People we knew were being killed due to crime. Of course, I'd be worried too. My man was out there hanging out with most of these guys," said Elizabeth. In the Bible, just like Saul's journey to Damascus involved a pivotal encounter with Jesus, resulting in his conversion from persecuting Christians to becoming a prominent apostle, Ochieng will always remember 2002. With several rolls of bhang in his pocket, he was walking along the alleys like a hungry eagle flying through the sky, seeking for a soul to devour... But on his way, he came across a crusade by Bishop Prince Mwangangi of Jesus Manifestation Church. In his mind, he was wondering why such a huge crown would let one person fool them. For a second, he decided to pay attention to this man. One second grew into two, three...one minute, 30 minutes... By the time he noticed, he was being guided to the podium where the bishop was. "The more he preached, the more I was moving towards the crowd...It was such a memorable time. After leaving the podium, I decided never to go back to my crime life," he said. Just like Jamaican reggae musician Robert Nesta Marley sung in Redemption Song, Ochieng was craving to emancipate himself from mental slavery. Suddenly, his hand was made strong by the hand of the Almighty. From being persecutors of men and women, he's now after their souls as he preaches to them every Sunday at Victory World Outreach Githurai 45, where he is the assistant pastor. Now the head coach of Thailand Boxing Club and Nairobi County Boxing Association, Ochieng seeks to give hope to the hopeless. Over 100 boxers have passed through his hands and currently, he's handling close to 50 pugilists. Some of the players who have represented Thailand include John Mburugu (minimum), Isaac Waweru (flyweight), Ian Mbugua (Bantam), Ryan Nuer (Featherweight), Robert Wambugu (Lighweight) and Mohamed Nyagah (lightwelter). It has not been a smooth ride, however, for Ochieng and his team. Theirs has been a struggle. Uncertainty has been their cup of tea. Not sure of their next move. "Finances have been hard to come by. Several well-wishers have been our saving grace. We spend close to Sh20,000 for every tournament. We are forced to use our money to take care of the teams. It has been a real struggle, but we trust in God," said Ochieng, a father of two daughters. "Coach Chair has given us hope. He has given us the reason to live. We could have ended up as criminals due to the environment here, but we have a purpose for life through boxing," said boxer Ryan Nuer.

For boxing coach 'Chair', there's life after crime

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