A Kenyan woman, Cynthia Achieng Abok, has opened up about her failed marriages.
Abok, who was born and raised in Kisumu but currently based in Nairobi, said she had been in 12 marriages, but all of them failed, leaving her with three children.
Speaking with Citizen Digital, the woman said her first marriage happened when she was still a minor, notng that life challenges pushed her to move out early and settle down in the hope of finding a better life.
Abok revealed she did not come from a stable family, as her parents separated when she was young.
"My mum got married somewhere else, and life with my dad was not easy. At some point, my siblings also moved out. I tried to live with my mum and her new family, but life was difficult for me. It was unbearable," she said.
The mother of three said she met different men who promised to help her, only to turn her into a wife instead.
She would spend months or, at most, a year with a man before he chased her away after losing interest.
“Most were married men. They would rent houses for me and keep me there to hide me from their wives and other drama. I ended up with them because I was desperate, and I always fell for their lies that they would take me to school. I really wanted to learn, but they all took advantage of me.” she said.
"Being young, naive, and desperate, I always found myself in the hands of selfish men who didn’t really care about me. They promised me education and a better lifestyle, among other things, but they were all lies."
Abok recounted a peculiar marriage setup she had with a 77-year-old pastor who left her with a child.
Like the men before him, he had promised to take care of her and help her get back on her feet so she could continue with life.
“He was married and took me to a different place from his main home. He would visit me during the day. He never fulfilled any of his promises and sometimes even abused me,”
"Our relationship had more downs than ups, but I chose to remain until his wife found out. I was chased away," she said.
Abok tried using harmful substances to cope with stress, worked odd jobs, and sought help from many people in an effort to better her life.
Despite all she had been through, Abok said she has not ruled out the possibility of falling in love again.
"Maybe God can bring a good person my way. I would still accept love. For now, I may not be ready, but I haven’t shut the door to love," she added.
