Boxing legends Suleiman Bilali and Conjestina Achieng.
When Kenya’s boxing history is written, Conjestina “Hands of Stones” Achieng and Suleiman Bilali will occupy several chapters. They put the nation on the global map and turned local rings into legendary stages. The duo transformed Kenyan boxing into a source of immense national pride and international fame.
But all has not been well with the legends. For the last 15 years, they have been in and out of rehabilitation centres as they continue to struggle with depression and substance abuse.
Achieng is celebrated as the pioneer of professional female boxing in the country. She made history as the first African woman to win a world title when she knocked out Monica Mwakasanga of Tanzania for the Women's International Boxing Federation (WIBF) World Middleweight title on August 21, 2005, at Kasarani in Nairobi.
Kenya's Conjestina Achieng celebrates after she knocked out Tanzania’s Monica Mwakasanga in the ninth round.
Photo/File
The previous year, Achieng had made history by becoming the first Kenyan to win the Africa Boxing Union (ABU) title, knocking out Uganda’s Fiona Tugume in the middleweight contest at Nyayo Stadium.
She successfully defended her title by knocking out Guillermina Fernandez from Argentina, sending the packed KICC Plenary Hall into a frenzy.
The mother of one then contested the prestigious World Boxing Council (WBC) world title, taking on American Yvonne Reis at the Kasarani Indoor Arena and becoming the first African woman to do so.
She lost the WBC World Female Middleweight title to Reis in a split-points decision, and then took a shot at the joint world titles twice against Russia's Natascha Ragosina, both in 2008.
She lost both contests, missing out on the GBU and WIBF super middleweight titles on July 11 and the WBA and WBC super-middleweight titles on November 28.
Achieng won three more non-title bouts in 2009 and 2010, bringing the total number of bouts she had contested to 27, with 17 wins, five losses and four draws.
In 2011, Achieng fell into depression, prompting concern from her late father, Clement Adala, after she withdrew her son from school, set fire to all her boxing gear and disposed of all the equipment in her gym.
She was admitted to Mathari Hospital in Nairobi, which specialises in mental healthcare, but was later released after being diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and paranoid schizophrenia.
Since then, she has undergone rehabilitation with the help of well-wishers.
The situation has continued to recur, even upon her return to her rural home in Siaya County, with calls for the Ministry of Sports to assist her family with her treatment.
Meanwhile, Bilali is one of Kenya’s finest boxers. He won the African light flyweight title in 2001, and went on to win the African Games title in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2003. He successfully defended the African Games title in Algiers, Algeria, in 2007.
Two-time African Games light flyweight champion Suleiman Bilali at Muthura Social Hall, the home of the famous Dallas Boxing Club in Nairobi on August 15, 2026.
He represented Kenya at the 2000 Sydney and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, as well as the 2002 Manchester and 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
He has been in and out of rehabilitation centres due to alcohol and khat addiction and depression since being fired from the Kenya Police Service in 2012.
Bilali, a sergeant, was dismissed for desertion. The boxer says he suffered memory loss and was bedridden after falling from a matatu.
He had been knocked down by vehicles twice while jogging, in 1998 and 2004 respectively, thereby missing the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games and the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Unable to find employment, Bilali was plunged into a series of personal misfortunes.
As with Achieng, the government has been urged to help Bilali. At one time, former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Boxing Federation of Kenya President Anthony 'Jamal' Otieno had Bilali and Achieng admitted to rehabilitation centres in Nairobi and Mombasa, respectively.
Dark turn
Bilali, who lives in squalid conditions at Muthurwa Estate, was arrested in June last year for allegedly participating in Gen Z protests, but was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
“I have had misfortunes with accidents. I was knocked down by a speeding car in 1998, 2004, and 2012 while training," he said.
"My life changed when I lost my job in 2012. I became depressed after losing everything I had worked for. My wife also left me due to my illness,” said Bilali, who now pleads with the Kenya Police Service to pay him his terminal benefits. He'd worked as a police officer for 15 years.
Bilali, who now relies on the kindness of others and menial jobs to survive, said he had quit drinking over a year ago. “I no longer take bad stuff. It was depression that drove me to the edge, but I know that rehabilitation starts with me,” said the father of three.
“I started drinking and chewing khat in 1998. Being fired from work made everything worse. I sank into depression,” he said. “Yes, I deserted my post, but they were aware of my condition. I occasionally lost my memory after the two accidents.”
Bilali said he is ready to make amends for the lost opportunity.
Sports psychologist Rowena Tirop notes that depression in athletes can be caused by several factors, including injuries, pressure from loved ones and sponsors, pressure to perform well, financial insecurity and exploitation.
Tirop indicates that, based on her assessment, Bilali’s case can easily be managed for a full recovery, whereas Conjestina’s clinical case requires consistent care for a full recovery.
Tirop explains that when athletes get injured, they want to get back into shape quickly, but some recovery processes take time, which can leave them feeling frustrated.
"Most of our athletes are breadwinners, with families depending on them. Their needs can overwhelm or supersede what the athletes earn, which can be depressing,” he said, adding that there is pressure when an athlete doesn’t perform well.
"The unpredictability of payment in sports where prize money takes a long time to be received can be depressing, especially if athletes don't have regular sponsors," he said.
He notes that generous athletes are especially vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation by those around them.
"They can easily be conned into deals that leave them bankrupt, which can lead to irreversible depression and trauma," he said.
Tirop opines that the Ministry of Sports should set up a department to handle such cases, similar to the safeguarding department. “The cases of Conjestina and Bilali have been ongoing, which makes them difficult to resolve,” said Tirop.
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