Kenyans share painful childhood traumas after witnessing parents fighting: 'Abusive marriages'

“Do you remember how you used to go to school and act like everything is normal despite your parents almost killing each other?”

This was the question trending online as Kenyans opened up about painful childhood memories of seeing their parents fight and still moving on with trauma etched in their lives.

In a series of posts on Facebook, X and TikTok, Kenyans shared upsetting details about their experiences with domestic violence and its effects.

The posts were under a caption, “Back then ulikua unaenda shule after your parents almost killed each other last night na hata huwezi ambia mtu.”

Sonia on TikTok shared how her mother would be beaten ruthlessly by her father to a point of losing consciousness. She added that they would wake up to find her unconscious mother on the floor with water poured around her.

Sonia stated that her siblings and herself always thought their mother had died following the beating.

Additionally, her father reprimanded from touching her and failure to adhering to the rule would lead to severe beatings.

“My mom alitandikwa hadi akazima the whole night then akamwagiliwa maji. Morning tulikuwa tunampitia hapo tunadhani amepass but hata hatungemguza otherwise unapigwa kichapo cha mbwa. Bado tulikuwa 10 years na io imekuwanga childhood trauma,” the post read.

Another user Dorreen Otiende shared that her abusive parent was not her dad but her mum.

Speaking in an emotional tone, she stated that her mother had a short temper and would wait till midnight and cause chaos and violence. She stated in her comment that she would attack her father and provoke him.

“Mimi nasikia watu wakisema baba yao vile alikuwa violent, for us it was my mum. She would wait till people are asleep in the middle of the night anaanza baba yangu, matusi akimprovoke ampige halafu aende ampeleke FIDA (it was some women empowerment thing),” she wrote.

Doreen Otiende on Facebook narrated that her dad oftenly left due to the violence and they would look for him in the morning for lunch money. Eventually, the father left her mother for good, all hell broke loose for the Facebook user. She stated that going home was a dread due to the anger tantrums at home by her mother.

“My dad would just leave the house saa saba usiku, tutamuona asubuhi ukimtafuta akupee pesa ya lunch. Juu my mum ni pang'ang'a tu. Siku mzae alienda hakuamini, bado akamfuata na hizo drama wakamchukulia restraining order. Yoh, I dreaded going home, na kama mzae hayuko na ako na hasira, we would become the punching bag. Here's the kicker she was a very serious intercessor. Since then, I have this irrational fear of wamama wa kanisa kwanza prayer warriors,” she concluded.

These two brave Kenyans were not the only ones who came clean, many more opened up.

Regardless, social media users sent warming messages to the victims of domestic violence calling it a ‘scourge.’

Celestine Odiwuor on Facebook replied, “Crying while reading this. What was wrong with some of our parents. Kwani walienda shule moja? This is the saddest topic on the internet right now.”

Another Novie Makawala added, “I am a victim. The traumas are real. I choose to work on my mental health. I don't talk to my dad.... (am very ok with it). I can document a whole script.”