Radio presenter Mwalimu Rachael recounts running away from home after playing with boys

Radio presenter Mwalimu Rachael has mentioned once in a while that she started out as a tomboy. The NRG presenter, in her blog, recently confessed how hanging out with boys got her in trouble.

Had to run away

In her blog, the presenter shared that playing basketball with her male friends got her in a lot of trouble and she even had to run away from home.

Here is a post:

“Living in Embu where nothing much happens, and being mostly in doors because being a girl at that age is both a blessing and a curse (fear of getting preggers etc). For some reason, maybe it was hormones, maybe laws of nature, my mother and I just did not get along. Shouting matches were a norm. Poor woman thought I was possessed. I had become this girl who was constantly angry,” she said in the post.

She continued:

“I think I was just upset at the system. That I had to wait so long before attaining the “freedom” I longed for.  I had studied hard for one sole reason- to go to Nairobi. I did not really care which Uni. I just wanted out. Being under lock and key was weighing me down and upsetting me. They didn’t understand me. I was bored out of my BRAIN! I just wanted to change routine and mingle with peers.

So what became my pattern? Going to bed at 3AM, waking up at 2PM doing nothing productive and the cycle continued for some months. At this point maybe my parents had put me on suicide watch I dunno… I was just weird.

I did make an effort to break the cycle though, occasionally playing basketball with some of the guys around our village at the church court but before long, tongues started wagging about this girl who was playing with boys and how inappropriate it was since it is a relatively contact sport.  In trying to defend myself, pastor akaitwa in my honor. Apparently I was being rebellious. Prayers were held to ‘correct me’ and as I result, I hated my parents more and became even more angry.

One day I just snapped. I hatched a plan to “escape” I needed to feel something, anything that wasn’t the kawaida. I needed to feel alive. My lil sis would have to be the decoy. I packed a bag and got the money I had been saving (ok more like been pinching from the change after shopping) and told my sis to distract my mum who was in the backyard. My dad was away somewhere so I had a chance. I called my cousin who lived in Embakasi and told him I needed a place to stay for couple of days till I figured things out. Lol…Sounds so “white” …figure things out. Hahahah!  Things went according to plan and I arrived at my cuzo’s. He didn’t pressure me into going back (bless his soul!) He let me rest, have something to eat and later on asked me if he could call my folks and he would speak to them, re-assure them that I was safe and sound.

I stayed at his place for almost a month if I remember correctly. Man, he really came through for me. When I returned home, my parents handled me a bit differently and listened more. Took time to rebuild our relationship and specially with my mom but in the end, we worked things out. Thank God I went to Uni soon after though! Lol.”