Nairobi News

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa on Tuesday revealed probably one of the “worst kept secret” about President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Mr Wamalwa, while preparing to read the President’s speech during the opening ceremony of the second Arid and semi-arid Lands (ASALs) in Amboseli National Park, Kajiado County, caused consternation and laughter among dignitaries and delegates at the conference when he said that President Kenyatta is also “a pastoralist”.

To elaborate his claims, the Devolution CS disclosed that the Head of State was conceived in Turkana County when his mother Mama Ngina visited his late father Jomo Kenyatta, who at the time was under house arrest in the county, hence qualifying as a pastoralist.

“Let me tell you (Governor Joseph Ole Lenku) and others something that I know you don’t know. The President is a pastoralist because he was conceived in Turkana when his mother visited his late father who was under house arrest,” said Mr Wamalwa as the whole meeting burst in laughter.

The late founding president of Kenya Mzee Kenyatta was among the Kapenguria Six who were arrested and charged with masterminding the anti-colonial Mau Mau uprising in 1952.

The Kapenguria Six also included Bildad Kaggia, Fred Kubai, Paul Ngei, Achieng Oneko and Kung’u Karumba.

Mzee Kenyatta was later imprisoned at Lokitaung in Turkana until 1959 before being exiled in Lodwar for two years.

It is at Lodwar where the late president was allowed to be visited by his wife Mama Ngina and the rest as they say, is history.

President Kenyatta was to preside over the opening ceremony of the three-day conference that has brought together over 1, 000 delegates but announced a last minute change of plans.