Alcohol abuse turns former Uhuru escort into a quarry worker
By NDUNG’U GACHANE
A highly trained Recce Squad officer attached to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s security detail has now turned to crushing stones at a quarry in Kericho in order to sustain his drinking after he became an alcohol addict.
Nicholas Langat, 28, was suspended in 2016 after he failed to report back on duty in time when he went to his village to attend to his wife who was suffering from throat cancer. She died the same year.
The officer, who was already suffering depression due to the death of his wife who left behind a two-year-old daughter, made his only companion since his aged parents could not understand what he was going through. He ended up being an addict.
SUSPENSION LETTER
According to Mr Langat, he was only given a suspension letter which was sent to Ainamoi Police Station in Kericho County, which is rural home.
The suspension meant that was not dismissed and that he remained a police officer and could therefore not be employed anywhere else.
He said after taking alcohol for two years, he became an addict and now had to do menial odd jobs to sustain his drinking habit.
He did jobs like digging pit latrines and crashing stones at the quarry to cater for his drinking and also look after his daughter and his aged parents.
Speaking to the Nation, Mr Langat said alcohol has destroyed his life and is now willing to live a normal life and possibly get back his job.
“I have gone through hell due to drinking and I feel that I’m tired of this life. I would love to go back to my normal life and get back my job if possible,” he told the Nation.
MET KIMENCHU
He realised how much he had degenerated after meeting Sgt Moses Kimenchu who counsels drug and alcohol addicts.
He had been referred to him by a friend and after weeks of counselling, he felt he needed to change for the better.
Mr Langat told the Nation that he had undergone rigorous training as a Recce Squad officer.
Among the skills he acquired included intelligence gathering, protection of VVIPs, recognition and destruction of explosives and guarding vital security installations.
NEED FOR REHAB
Mr Kimenchu told the Nation that the officer needs urgent medical attention and rehabilitation since he is in the sixth stage of addiction.
He said he has visited him several times in an effort to make him regain his self-esteem and make him see the need to quit drinking, adding that Mr Langat is now ready to mend his ways.
“I have been able to contain him and he has accepted himself and has seen the need to mend his ways. But he is in a bad state. He requires immediate medical attention and I call upon well-wishers to chip in before his case goes out of hand,” Mr Kimenchu said.
Narrating how he came to meet Mr Kimenchu, Langat said he saw the officer on NTV in November 2016 as he spoke about drug abuse.
SERGEANT SAVIOUR
NTV had carried a feature on Mr Kimenchu called Sergeant Saviour, where victims including police officers narrated how he helped them quit drinking.
Mr Langat said the feature acted as an eye opener for him and he got the courage to confront his problem and decided to look for Mr Kimenchu for assistance.
He finally met him in 2017 after getting his contacts from his Facebook page.
NO PHONE
He said he would then borrow phones from friends to call Mr Kimenchu since he did not have one himself.
Mr Kimenchu even went to his home in February this year and met him and his family who narrated his story.
“He was in stress and trauma but due to my constant communication, he was very ready to change,” Mr Kimenchu told the Nation.
It was then that Mr Kimenchu started counselling the officer.
He continues engaging him as he hopes to get well-wisher to sponsor his rehabilitation.
“He is very determined to quit drinking and his determination has seen him visit me in Murang’a to see how he can secure admission to a rehab but this is yet to happen,” he said.