Boda boda rider, 30, bets his way to the millionaires' club

MCHEZA JACKPOT WINNERS Richard Maina ,30, and his wife Regina Kathini,24 P[HOTO:STANDARD

For the last four years, Richard Maina, a boda boda operator from Kayole, Nairobi, has been dreaming. His dream was that one day, he would strike it rich and join the exclusive club of millionaires.

Yesterday, his dream came true. And now he is finding it hard to conceal his broad smile. He is yet to get used to the flashing bulbs of the camera and smiled shyly as the photographers clicked away.

Even his six-month-old daughter, Joy Wangeci, who can barely mumble any words, looked happily on - the excitement in the family has become infectious.

Yesterday, Mr Maina, 30, shared the spoils with his age mate Edmond Ng'etich and both were consequently declared the newest millionaires in town courtesy of Mcheza, a sports betting platform.

SINGLES BET

The two men men pocketed Sh10.5 million each after investing Sh100 to participate in the betting game.

Ironically, Maina cannot even remember what teams he bet on.

"I just know it was a singles bet... I had no idea what I was doing then," he said, all smiles.

His wife, Regina Kathini, 24, revealed that she has been cautioning her husband against spending money on what she considered an unproductive venture since June.

"I did encourage him at first but when nothing was forthcoming, I told him it was a waste of money... I thought he had stopped. I had no idea when he placed his last bet that won us this money," said Ms Kathini, a hair stylist.

And even before he received the jackpot cheque, the wannabe millionaire, according to his wife, somehow knew that he had finally struck gold.

"He kept saying at night that he thought he had won. I just brushed him off but he insisted that he had to counter check... and yes, when he realised he had won, he did not go back to bed," said Kathini.

Right now, Maina is not decided on how to spend his windfall. "I do not know what to do with the money. I never expected this," he said.

But Mr Ng'etich from Kericho is absolutely sure what he will do with his Sh10.5 million.

Acumen Communications (the firm behind Mcheza) had to fly him from Kericho where he runs a restaurant to hand him the cheque.

"It is not my first time to fly... I am a businessman," he said slouching in the chair when asked if it was his first time to fly.

Ng'etich, who is single, said he would pump his windfall into his business: "Even as a businessman, it is not easy to get Sh10 million. And as a Christian, of course my 10 per cent has to go to my church."

Ng'etich also started betting in June and was only sure of 12 games out of the 13 that he had put in a multi-bet of five games.

"Of course I will bet again... you never know, I may be coming back here to pick another Sh10 million," he said laughing.