'Machachari' actress Gathoni Kimuyu shares experience in a domestically abusive marriage

04 September 2024

• She is well known for her acting role on the now ended TV show Machachari.

Celebrated actress Gathoni Kimuyu also known as Queen Gathoni has shared her experience in a domestically abusive marriage.

Gathoni walked out of her abusive marriage 14 years ago.

She is well known for her acting role on the now ended TV show Machachari.

She decided to share her experience after a Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei sustained 80 percent burns.

This was after being attacked by her Kenyan boyfriend who is also admitted to ICU at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

She was attacked by her boyfriend who doused her with petrol and set her on fire.

Taking to her Insta Stories, Gathoni started off;

"I know most of you might not know, but 31st August marked 14 years since I walked out of a violent marriage. It wasn't easy to walk but it had to be done. I know it's not easy to walk, but don't be the person who tells victims, 'Si you just leave him?' It's not straightforward, domestic violence does not start physically, it starts with your emotions and by the time we get to the physical, you barely know yourself."

Gathoni added that she was once beaten when her daughter was just 3 months old.

"Domestic violence cripples you. You feel useless. A lot of violent men are also heavily selfish, so, imagine being gaslit while being beaten up and then love-bombed the next day to forget everything that happened yesterday. My ex-husband once beat me up because his mum asked to come over for a meal after our daughter's baptism, but I said no because I had no food in my house. His mum called to ask about it and his reply was him coming to the house and beating me senseless. Mind you, my baby was only 3 months old. My body was nowhere near healed. I left when my baby was 6 months old. Some of these memories are still very fresh in my mind. The crime scene was my body and I live with it every day. Let that sink in!!!"

Luckily for Gathoni, her parents welcomed her back with open arms.

"For my safety, I told him I was leaving the night before and my cab was outside by 6:00 am. I didn't have a single cent to my name so I went straight to my parent's house where I received a lot of love and care. I paid the cab guy a month later."

Gathoni says people should not feel ashamed to seek help by going back home.

"There's no shame in returning home to heal and start over. Healing is not a straight line. It might take you a short time or a lifetime, but we take it a day at a time. Be kind to yourself love yourself and know that there's no excuse for violence."