Former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana recently shared a personal chapter of his life, revealing his struggles with alcohol during his early days as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi.
Kibwana recounted that his first encounter with beer was during his form six days, but he didn’t find the bottle appealing.
However, when he started working as a lecturer at the age of 23, he and his friends, buoyed by disposable income, developed a routine of regular drinking.
“In 1972, when I was in form six, that was the first day I tasted alcohol. It was not sweet, but that’s when I tasted it,” Kibwana disclosed during a recent online interview.
As a young academic with financial means, Kibwana and his peers frequented the senior common room of the University of Nairobi, marking it as one of their preferred spots for beer consumption.
According to the former governor, each individual maintained a ‘tab’, and the accrued bills were deducted from their salaries at the end of the month.
“We would sign, and whatever your bill, it would be deducted at the end of the month. Sometimes we would drink until there wasn’t any money left from your salary,” Kibwana reminisced.
He admitted that his clever scheduling allowed him to start his weekends early, with planned classes on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The drinking culture, however, took a toll on various aspects of his life and the lives of his friends, many of whom have since passed away.
The former governor emphasized that his drinking habit had a significant impact on his family life, leading to quarrels, financial mismanagement, and a general absence. Even former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, a colleague back then expressed concern, questioning Kibwana about his excessive drinking.
Kibwana acknowledged that the turning point came when he caused a road accident while driving home drunk. The former governor revealed that he fell asleep on the wheel, leading to a collision at the GPO roundabout.
Despite the severity of the incident, he managed to evade authorities by asking for an ambulance to Nairobi Hospital instead of Kenyatta National Hospital.
The wake-up call came when Kibwana pursued studies abroad on a scholarship. Realizing the academic challenges ahead, he knew it was time to make lifestyle changes. Although his family had urged him to quit drinking, Kibwana stressed that the decision ultimately had to come from within.
The governor revealed that his days of heavy drinking spanned from 1979 to 1983. He however emphasized the importance of personal decisions in overcoming such challenges.
“It has to come down to your own decision. I confronted myself. I said I don’t want to do this anymore,” he concluded.
