Why Kenyans reaction to Kabi wa Jesus molestation story is very disturbing

Kabi wa Jesus claims he was molested as a young child well into his teenage years by some of his female cousins. This is a truly disturbing story because it is not only about child abuse but also the manner in which Kenyans have responded to it is appalling.

“They took turns to molest me” Kabi wa Jesus on horrifying experience with relatives as a child

Speaking at a church (Kenyan churches are a joke), he seemed to be making light of the entire situation as he regaled the stunned audience with his story of how he used to sleep with his cousins but was only really caught out when one of them conceived and decided to carry their child to term.

But what was lost on many is the fact that he very categorically stated that he had been molested and it was not a rare occurrence as most of his relatives would take turns helping themselves to his young body in a very despicable manner:

They would molest me taking turns. I would be left by my parents then hao wasee come and molest me. Something happened between my parents and I had to go back to ushago and when I went again some of my relatives took turns molesting me.

Coparenting between Mama Abby and Kabi wa Jesus clearly not working

But when you go online and check out Edgar Obare’s Telegram channel, the wording of how they have chosen to tell this piece of news has been one of disgust at the fact that he admitted to having slept with his cousins. Thing is, you have to wonder whether the case would have been the same if Kabi was Jesus were a female and if there was not an already existing apathy for and general dislike of him.

You see, he is a complex human being as we all are. One filled with both great good and untold evil but that is just the human condition. A lot of people have taken issue with the fact that he had to be dragged to court to finally admit the love child shared between him and his cousin was his as well as to actually part with child support and upkeep for the young one.

‘Vitu kwa ground ni different’ Kabi wa Jesus exposed by baby mama for lying about daughter’s upkeep

I would be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge the fact that Kabi was Jesus worded his confession and revelation of molestation like it was one big joke but we have to pause and wonder whether this is not just his coping mechanism because his mind cannot fathom that his own relatives victimised him in such a vile way:

It was news that this guy had slept with his cousin and the reason for me before I got born again is it was not an issue. She is not the first one I had slept with so many others.
So unajua yaani nikilala na mtu flani inahappen. Imagine a young child. Some of the relatives are at the age of 30. And I grew up in that and I know that if not all most of you know what happened last year. There was an incident of a cousin of mine coming out and saying we slept together and so many of you were like, ‘Eh yaani amelala na cousin yake?’ This man is bad.

So why has he been vilified for being the product of his environment? He was a little boy who was sexually violated by his relatives and that made him form a warped understanding of sex in his young mind. He never addressed this issue and so the trauma compounded into what we would consider abominable behaviour but again I reiterate that he was a child.

Kabi wa Jesus: Examining the Christian husband

Kabi was Jesus was the victim and though he has chosen the wrong platform to address this fact, it still remains nonetheless that he was a victim of child abuse and everyone discussing the matter needs to be more sensitive about it. I am not arguing to absolve him from the consequences of his choices as an adult. Far from it but if we are going to insist on discussing the matter, we need to do so in a nuanced manner.

And once again, we are indicted as a society that has refused to look at a male victim of molestation as a victim. The next time a female celebrity speaks on the same, we need to keep the same energy and be callous animals to her as much as we were to Kabi was Jesus. But then again, most netizens are hypocrites.

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