The story of Dorothy Muoma, a former Kitale court magistrate, is both heartbreaking and sobering.
She was once a respected judicial officer, serving diligently in court. One day, she was suspended from her position. She walked out of the courtroom believing it was only temporary, hoping she would soon return. But as time passed, the suspension turned into a dismissal.
What followed was devastating. She lost her home. Her cars were repossessed. Banks came calling. Property was auctioned. One by one, everything she had worked for slipped away, leaving her with nothing but hope.
Friends drifted away. Colleagues kept their distance. Some people she had once helped turned their backs on her. Relatives were nowhere to be seen. Even the church seemed silent. In that loneliness and rejection, depression slowly took hold.
With nowhere else to go, she eventually found herself on the streets — talking to herself, throwing her hands in the air, running even when no one was chasing her.
Tragically, she lost her life while living on the streets.
Her story is a painful reminder that mental illness can affect anyone, regardless of status or success. Let us be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. That one phone call, that one visit, that one word of encouragement could be the very thing that saves someone from sinking into depression.
