Conjestina Achieng regaled and awed fans and naysayers in equal measure. When she was in the ring her footwork and skill were no match for her opponents. 

This was in her heydays. The former World Boxing Association middleweight champion has been suffering from mental illness since 2011 when she was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder.  The boxer who hails from Siaya County has since been in and out of hospital for the last decade. In July, Sonko took Achieng' to the Mombasa Women Empowerment Network Hospital in Miritini for treatment. Conjestina is recovering well.

Conjestina’s story is representative of the neglect and wanton abandon that our national athletes face either during service to the country or long after they have finished participating in their various fields.

We are calling for a comprehensive mental health policy and framework in addition to full health insurance coverage for Kenyan athletes that will be implemented to cater for our national heroes who don the black, red and green in acts of national duty and patriotism. Our athletes should be catered for considering the physical, intellectual, emotional and  psychological strain that they undergo when representing our great republic.

This petition demands:

• Rollout by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports & The Arts  of a comprehensive national health insurance cover that addresses  mental wellness health and relevant programs to support all national athletes. This should also be a cover that is tailored to the specific needs for athletes such as:
  • Expanding the ‘Tufunguke Wanaspoti’ initiative by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) for all national athletes to access mental health care centers nationwide.
  • Provision by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports & The Arts of comprehensive mental healthcare provision for athletes' immediate family.