A Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer from Njoro has led a troubled life for close to one year as he battles a mental disorder.
The family of Second Lieutenant John Njoroge said their son who scored an A- in his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination has been neglected after he started exhibiting signs of mental illness.
The father, Peter Mwangi said his 30-year-old son has never been the same after he was deployed to Somalia.
Njoroge in 2014 became an officer at the Kenya Military Academy, Lanet and was deployed to Somalia between December 2016 and January 2018.
Njoroge who graduated with a military science degree survived an Al-Shabaab attack at Kulbiyow camp that left 68 KDF officers dead in January 27, 2017.
“He was well until after that attack. When he came back home from the deployment, we started noticing change in behaviour. He would fight with anyone including myself and later apologise,” said Mwangi as quoted by standardmedia.co.ke.
After returning home, Njoroge was attached to the 20th Parachute Battalion at Kenyatta Barracks in Gilgil but was given a three-month leave in October 2018.
“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,” said Mwangi.
The matter was reported at Njoro Police Station and Njoroge was taken to Kenyatta barracks for treatment and was later transferred to Embakasi barracks.
The family thought their son had recovered but months later a friend spotted Njoroge on the streets of Nairobi with only one shoe on looking confused and informed his parents.
The parents took him to Gilgil barracks but when he returned home he stormed his elder sister’s eatery and attacked her and in March, 2019 he stabbed his brother twice in the abdomen but he survived.
“Our son’s condition has been worsening. He has become alcoholic and violent towards anyone he comes across. We are now mentally tortured,” said the family.
The parents have asked the KDF to intervene in the matter and help their son get the necessary treatment.
The Department of Defence (DoD) in response to the matter said Njoroge’s contract was terminated before he got sick.
“2 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,” said the DoD.