Neanderthal marriages (part 3) - Samuel Wanjiru commits suicide. TerryMay 16, 2011 0 comments

It's a sad day for the sports fraternity in Kenya and the world over. The demise of world marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru has shocked a lot of people. I first heard the news at around 6:30am, my first thought was to get online and share my 2 cents on how stupid this talented fellow was to have taken his own life leaving others to squander all that he had worked so hard to accumulate but I thought it wise to hold my horses until I got more info on what transpired.

The Late Samuel Wanjiru at the 2008 Olympics

The more I thought about this incident, I empathize with him and whatever it is he may have been going  through. The guy may actually have had more issues apart from the fame or fortune getting to his head, may be we'll never know.
I had previously written about his domestic wrangles HERE and it seems like things got way too much for him to handle. It seems the supposed reconciliation with his wife, Triza Njeri did not improve matters on the home front, at least not in the long term.
I'd like to marry this incident with another that also happened over the weekend. A police constable attached to Parklands Police Station quarreled with his boss. He (the constable) shot his boss, injured another colleague before turning the gun on himself. Fellow officers say the constable had marital meetings which had prompted a family meeting to resolve the row.

I don't know what is happening to the institution of marriage and by extension family in Kenya lately. The domez have become too much and a lot more is now at stake. Seriously, I can't even begin to comprehend what's up but one school of thought that I subscribe to is if and when you feel overwhelmed by a relationship or any issue for that matter, take a step back and reassess your position in that situation.

I know seeking counsel from professional counselors / psychologists / psychiatrist is not what we do as Kenyans, as Africans, more so our men who feel like they have it all together. This is one channel that we should engage to try and lessen the burdens if life and if it fails, then we can walk away sane and alive.

R.I.P Samuel Wanjiru