Famous or not, my mum is still a hero
Milliam Murigi @millymur1
Once the pride of Kenya, Congestina Achieng raised Kenyan flag several times as a boxer. Her son, Charltone Otieno shares his mother’s plight as well as picking the love of the game from her.
Your mother, Congestina Achieng needs no introduction. So, briefly tell us about yourself…
I’m Charltone Otieno. I am 25 years old. I’m an aspiring professional boxer, a personal gym instructor, a scout leader, a footballer, and a dancer.
In short, I am just a multitalented young man, but my main focus is boxing.
You picked up the love for boxing from your mother, tell us more about this and the club you have formed…
My mother started training me from an early age. Actually, she started boxing when I was four years old and she introduced me to the boxing world when I was five years old.
I didn’t take boxing as a career because my mother is a boxer;I decided to become a boxer because I believe I have that talent.
I have a boxing club at Lucky Summer estate, Nairobi where I train youths on boxing, but mostly for self-defense.
On why I am yet to become a boxer professionally, it is because I haven’t gotten people who can lead me to the ring.
I’m hoping that soon, I will get the right connection and start representing our country.
I will be fighting under the lightweight category. I want to follow my mother’s footsteps and take boxing as a career.
Speaking of your mother, she has for years struggled with mental health issue. How is she fairing now?
Her condition is deteriorating and she is not stable. Though Kenyans have come to her rescue when she needed them, the problem is that all those who have been helping her have been doing so without a post-treatment plan.
She has been in and out of so many hospitals courtesy of different personalities, but once she is well, all those people disappear.
She always comes out of the hospital when she is okay, but upon getting back home she becomes even worse because of lack of medication and idleness. She often feels neglected.
Does the family feel like the government and Kenyans in general let your mother down? What should be done or not done?
The government has really let her down and they have neglected her completely. It is a total letdown.
She should be recognised as a legend since she on several occasions raised the Kenyan flag high during her heydays.
The government needs to employ one of her family members to ensure that she is always taken care of.
On the death rumour that was circulating a while back, how did the family and your mother take it?
We didn’t take it that seriously since we knew she was still alive. We later cleared the air and people stopped calling us.
Back to boxing, how did your mother end up being so good in the game? What was her biggest inspiration?
Before getting into boxing, she was a footballer. Actually, this is what brought her to Nairobi in 1998.
She was attached to Makongeni Football Club. However, while she was still playing football, Joseph Kusimba, a relative who was running a boxing club (Mathare Boxing Club) introduced her to boxing and in 2000, she left football for boxing.
The funny thing is that she had started training for boxing way back when she was still young.
Back at home in Umiru village, Siaya county, she had turned banana plants into her punching bag.
She used to go to the farm to work, but instead, she would end up kicking and punching banana plants.
My grand parents didn’t understand why and they were always angry with her. When she went into boxing fully, it took her only one month of training before she was able to face her opponent in the amateur ranks.
The same year she took to the ring after graduating through the youth soccer ranks in Nairobi’s Makongeni Estate and after seven amateur bouts, she made her pro debut in June 2002 in Nairobi, winning a four-round decision over Naomi Wanjiku.
Her role model in the boxing world used to be American professional boxer Laila Ali. She once wanted to fight her, but unfortunately, this never materialised.
What are some of the ups and downs of being the son of the award-winning fighter?
Following her busy schedule, she had to take me to a boarding school. Sometimes, I felt like she didn’t have time for me. But I understand it was for the best, and she did all she had to do for me.
How was your upbringing like?
Growing up in the limelight isn’t easy, but it also comes with certain perks. I often received special treatment because of her.
There was, of course the part of meeting prominent people, going places, and having people recognise my mother all the time I walked with her. However, there is also a negative side to everything.
I remember when I joined school, fellow pupils didn’t want to be with me because they thought I didn’t belong to their social class.
They also used to harass me just to see what I would do. They always wanted to know whether I could fight back or I knew how to box.
What is it that people don’t know about her?
She is hardworking, persistent, loving, smart, and a good planner. She is understanding and she always lends her ear to anyone who needs her attention.
She likes cleanliness and she can’t stand an untidy house. When she is down, she listens to music or goes to sleep. She is an introvert, something many people don’t know.
Given powers to live her life again, would you still like her to be a boxer and why?
I would still vouch for a boxer mother. What people need to know is that her current condition is not as a result of any injury from her boxing career. It wasn’t the punches that made her sick.
My mother was a good fighter and used to protect herself all the time. Actually, nobody knows why she got sick.
