I was already a drunkard by class seven - Deliverance Church pastor

 Life of Kennedy Chomba Karani was defined by the bottle

The life of Kennedy Chomba Karani was defined by the bottle. He was the laughing stock everywhere he went. He spoke to IRVIN JALANG’O about how he’s now a pastor at Deliverance Church Kwa Amos in Nakuru

How did you become an alcoholic?

I started drinking in class six. You see, my grandmother used to brew alcohol. So, it was there for us to taste. Together with my friends and cousins, we would sip small amounts now and then just for fun.

My uncle was our favourite since he gave us alcohol. By the time I was in class seven, I was a drunk. I would drink myself silly with no care in the world.

Did your parents know you were drinking?

I was a very good pretender. I knew how to hide. First, I did not let it affect my education and second, I knew how to keep appearances. I did not let them see that side of me. My father was a policeman in Buruburu, Nairobi and we lived at Harambee police line in Jericho. Whenever I got drunk, I avoided him. I never came home on such evenings, instead, I would find a place to lie low.

How did you manage to stay in school?

High school was the worst because I was sent home thrice on suspension. The drugs I did were beyond alcohol. I remember one time I was suspended for having cigarettes. That is how bold I was. I enrolled at Kabete Technical Training Institute to study medical laboratory technology. Here, I had all the freedom to drink whatever I wanted.

 At what point did you quit?

The year was 2003 in January. I was 25 at the time. It was just after the elections and I came back home from college. I was an observer in the elections. A few friends from the village asked me to have sodas with them, but my mother was against the idea. I still went anyway.

I got so drunk instead and started making a fool of myself. My mother showed up and was shocked to see me in such a state.

She was so disappointed. She called me a kinyamu (animal) that had no future. Everyone went quiet and just stared at me. I was so embarrassed. I went back to college, but couldn’t forget the incident, which haunted me continuously. I quit alcohol and gave my life to Christ at Pastor Allan Kiuna’s JCC church.

Did you get into ministry immediately? I was still in college, so I tried as much as possible to avoid my friends whenever they were going to hang out. I joined the CU and attended meetings most Fridays and Saturdays.

After school, I came back home to Life Celebration Centre and there was this feeling that I needed to do something more than just being a churchgoer.

So I started teaching Sunday school and going for missions. During one of those missions, a pastor invited me to assist him. He said he saw something great in me. He mentored me and in 2007, I became pastor.

Do you minister to addicts? Yes. I understand them because I have been there. Every time I see a drunk, I ask myself how I can help. I know the torment they undergo and sympathise with them. I walk with the ones that accept my help, because I let them know that I understand whatever is happening to them.