His aides revealed in the 1990 incident Saitoti suddenly started gasping for breath and sweating profusely.
Nairobi Hospital’s medical personnel who attended to him later conceded quick action by his handlers saved him from death.
He is then said to have collapsed and became unconscious before being rushed to hospital.
Maybe fearing that whoever had poisoned him could follow him up to finish the job at the hospital, Saitoti demanded that he be immediately discharged from the hospital and taken to his home, when he came to.
Not even the doctors advice that he could not be moved as he was still sick and required close attention could break his resolve to go home. A recuperation room was then set up at his house and he was moved. After recovering, Saitoti downplayed the near-tragic incident until years later.
But even as he kept his tribulations to himself and very close friends, Saitoti narrowed down his choice of restaurants to a handful. The few places of choice were Tratorria and Tamarind’s upper-end restaurants in Nairobi’s city centre and Osteria restaurant along Lenana Road in Hurlingham area.
