A life of a houseboy changed dramastically when he moved to his uncle’s home with a promise he would be educated.
His father’s brother sodomised him severally forcing him to take refuge in the streets.
The uncle’s actions made Hamisi develop kidney complications and had a difficulty relieving himself.
‘People seldom notice your old clothes if you wear a big smile,” celebrated US army man Lee Mildon concluded.
Deep in Mwimuto area, Kiambu county, a jovial man in his mid-twenties nicknamed “smiling machine” justifies the soldier’s inference, as behind his beaming face lies a pool of tears, regrets and loss.
Victor Otieno Hamisi, 25, lost a lot, from parents, siblings and his innocence. The man who works as a house help revealed how he unsuccessfully attempted suicide five times.
He wanted to die as an escape route from shame and pain caused by his uncle who multiply sodomised him.
“My father passed on before I was born. My mother moved from Migori to Mwimuto and remarried when I was young and I got a step brother and sister. Sadly my step father was killed at his work place also,” he narrated.
According to Hamisi, troubles kept pursuing him as he lost his mother and step brother in quick succession, remaining with his younger step sister.
During the troubled times, a children’s home offered Hamisi an opportunity to school but he opted to have his younger step sister whom he felt was more vulnerable to be taken in.
He moved to the home of his father’s brother after the latter promised to facilitate his education but things changed for the worst. “I was literally raped by uncle.
I ended up in the streets because my uncle raped me multiply. I got sodomised until it became a norm. I have struggled to relieve myself for over 10 years,” Hamisi recalled reflectively.
The happening pushed him to the streets where he was haunted by guilt and bitterness of what had happened to him thus the suicide attempts.
“I developed kidney complications as a result and struggled with forgiveness. I only learnt to forgive in the hardest of ways. While in the streets I opted to begin walking from door to door to wash washing clothes to fend for myself,” he said.
Hamisi who gradually overcame the trauma and stigma associated with the happenings called for increased support for male victims of sexual molestation, saying much focus had been directed towards women.
The houseboy’s desire is to become a journalist and gospel minister. “By the time I get to 50 years I would like to educate 50 street children and identify men who have been victims of sexual molestation.
Many men are suffering silently. I want to reach out to such people and help them overcome through giving them hope,” he said.