It happened some years ago – but it has left an indelible mark in her life. It will forever. This is the story of Christine.
Of course incest is a taboo in Kenya – but many people still engage in sexual acts with relatives despite having full knowledge that he offense will earn you five year in prison or life.
Traditionally, back in the day, the act was punishable by death, where the baby was killed immediately at birth.
Christine and Allan grew up together in western parts of Busia. Allan is the first cousin to Christine, and since childhood, they played and interacted with the full knowledge that they shared blood.
In 2002, Allan relocated to Nairobi to stay with his father who a police officer. Christine, on the other hand, got stuck in the village where she was continuing with her education.
Ten years later Allan was lucky to join armed forces, and would quickly move out of his father’s house and rented his own crib somewhere a long Thika road.
By this time Christine had also completed her O levels and had moved to Nairobi in search of life. But things were not working out for her, and she found herself struggling to live in Nairobi.
With the good relationship they had back then, Allan thought of finding Christine, and would learn that things were not working out for his cousin, and so he offered to accommodate her until she finds a job.
As she reveals, it was a brother, sister relationship for more than a year, until one fine evening when Allan decided to look at her in a different way.
“By then he was still single and as a good sister, I looked after him. I used to cook and do laundry for him, neighbours knew him as my brother,”
As she reveals, in mid 2015, Allan took her out for an outdoor lunch which saw them step out to Rongai to enjoy Nyama Choma and later proceeded to a club where they took a few drinks – and dinner.
Christine says she can’t recall how she ended up in her cousin’s bed, but all she remembers was waking up in the morning in his cousin’s arm in a hotel.
“I was so embarrassed I thought of running away. Ironically, my cousin kept on encouraging me that we did nothing wrong.’
As she explains Christine struggled to accept what had happened, and looking at how impenitent her cousin was, gave her courage to accept what had happened and seal it off as a secret they would keep between themselves.
Months later, the same thing happened, only that this time it had to be normalized behind closed doors.
Outside the house, the normal character of brother-sister had to be portrayed lest they aroused suspicion.
Watch out for PART TWO…