I Became an Alcohol Addict after Joining University in the US, President Uhuru's Niece Nana Gechaga Says

President Kenyatta's niece Nana Gechaga has opened up on how she turned to an alcohol addict after enrolling at a United States University.

Speaking during an interview with Kiss FM, Nana, a former sprinter, revealed how her penchant for alcohol killed her dream of becoming an Olympic champion.

"My first year at the university in America was very rocky, and that is where my everything fell apart. I was an addict of alcohol but I was able to go to rehab and from there, it's been 19 years without drinking."

"My first degree in the [US] was business, advertising and marketing; the second degree, pursued in the UK was fashion."

The Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) managing director said she had a passion in athletics and had always dreamt of competing and representing Kenya on a global stage, but her life took a complete shift after joining the US institution, where she turned into an alcoholic. 

"The person you see here today has had many lives before who I am today. My passion was actually sports. I was a very big athlete back in the day, and I actually qualified for the 1996 Olympics."

She says she used to take too much alcohol at the time, meaning she could not make it to the competition despite having qualified.

“With that comes regret; my biggest regret is that it {alcoholism} derailed me from pursuing my dream in athletics, even after qualifying for the 1996 Summer Olympics – sprinting. Due to drinking, heavily at that time, I just said: ‘I had qualified for the Olympics, but did not go’."

" Now, when I look back, I say it was my time to do service. But, again, it is not about dwelling on it, but moving forward; and saying: ‘From there, what can I now do, especially now that I know better?’” she said.

She says fighting alcoholism was her life's most difficult moment. "It definitely builds character because it takes a lot of strength to acknowledge that you have a problem, whatever it is. Getting out of it is something I am happy about because most people do not manage."

In a past interview, Nana said she used to take a full crate of beer per day and a bottle of hard liquor on top of it. 

‘’Well it was 24 beers that's a crate a day and a half a bottle or full bottle of liquor,’’ said Gecaga.