Did Reuben Ndolo punch Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero?

  Reuben Ndolo during the interview  Photo: Collins Kweyu

He was in the news recently for punching Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, which is typical of former Makadara MP, known for his tendency to court controversy. Reuben Ndolo spoke to MWAURA SAMORA about his son, who is married to Kimunya’s daughter, his alleged affair with Rachel Shebesh, and how he saw Mike Sonko grow up in Buruburu

There were media reports that you punched Governor Kidero at an ODM meeting. Is it true?

I don’t want to talk about the issue. You can gather from the media reports that it is very clear who started the whole thing. I am a very calm and level-headed person. I do not ‘chokoza’ (provoke) anybody. I’m afraid that if I delve into the allegations, I will be accused and labelled with usual stereotypes - that I am rough and unrestrained. You should however know that it happened during the Mathare by-election campaign meeting, of which Kidero is the chairman.

There is a general perception that you are belligerent and always spoiling for a fight. What is your reaction to this?

You look at me and tell me what you think. Unfortunately that is the common perception. But nothing could be further from the truth.

I don’t go out of my way to annoy people or rub them the wrong way, neither have I engaged in street brawls. I am not quarrelsome and don’t rough up people.

I am not one given to insulting others and even my wife can bear witness to this. I am disciplined and polished. I have never fought outside the ring.

What were your major achievements as the head of Kenya Professional Boxing Commission?

We produced more than 60 world champions between 1995 and 1999. I was the chairperson at the time. These included Joseph Akasamba, WBC world champions Nick ‘Kanyankole’ Otieno and Sunday Otieno, and the Commonwealth champion Napunyi Oduori.

This record has never been equaled. I vied for the Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) presidency and won in 2000. I resigned as the head of CBC after my friends Joe Aketch and President Uhuru (then a nominated MP) convinced me to come back to Kenya and nurture my leadership skills. They were visiting London at the time. I resigned in 2001, having brought the CBC meeting in Kenya and Africa for the first time.

What were your major achievements as a boxer?

My major achievement was in Germany. I had just left amateur boxing in the 1970s to try my hand in semi-professional boxing. Then, semi-professionals were allowed to work and study in Germany. I was with my cousin David Atani and the late Bonny Olwande. I came back in 1982 to form the first professional boxing association in Kenya. I stopped boxing in 1979.

If you were to go back in time, what other sport would you have taken up?

That would be football. I remember playing a lot in school. As a member of parliament, I played for Bunge FC as a striker in position nine. We won many cups against countries like Tanzania.

 

How do you relate to Uhuru, now that he is the head of state?

It is the president and Joe Akech who convinced me to come back to Kenya and vie for a political seat in the 2002 general elections. We used to be, and still are, very good friends with the president, even though I am firmly in ODM.

I used to take him to Jericho and Kaloleni where he was a patron of some football clubs while he was in the opposition... I am also a good friend of his deputy William Ruto, whom I accompanied around the country many times when he was in ODM.

What do you do now? You have not been in parliament since 2007.

After I left the Ministry of Water, I returned to my travel agency business. I have buses ferrying tourists around the country. My wife takes care of the business. I am also still a director at CBC since the membership is lifetime.

Is it true that you introduced Rachael Shebesh to politics? How close are you with her?

It is true, and she knows it. She is in fact proud of it. We talk often, and we are very good friends. Her husband Frank is a friend too, and we meet and talk sometimes. I have known the husband since his college years. Shebesh’s father, Nahashon Kahara, came from Jericho and I campaigned for him as a councillor, and later mayor, of Nairobi.

Is it true you had an affair with Shebesh?

Besides the fact that we came from the same estate, and that I knew her father, we only related politically when she was in ODM, but there are a lot of unfounded rumours out there. I am happily married to a very beautiful wife, with seven kids. My eldest is 27 now. My third-born son is actually married to former minister Amos Kimunya’s daughter. That shows just how liberal and progressive my family is.

How do you relate to Senator Sonko, given that he is the one who ended your tenure in parliament in 2010?

Sonko is one of my boys. I saw him grow up in Buruburu as a young man.

I was the area MP at the time. Sonko and the likes of former Nairobi mayor George Aladwa are all my protégés. Sonko did not get into politics, until he started making really good money. As a matter of fact, he took my boys into his camp after joining politics. When we quarreled with my brother Dick Wathika, Sonko came ‘na akapita katikati’ (and beat us because we were divided).

At the time, there were two camps; Ndolo’s, and Wathika’s. Sonko won courtesy of votes from the slums. He did not get votes from Makadara. In fact, even during the 2013 elections, when he got elected as senator, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru got all the votes from Makadara.

‘Ukiona wao weka taya’ is a phrase attributed to you. Why did you have to coin what may be construed as an inciting rallying call?

I do not regret coming up with that phrase because it saved a lot of people’s property in this country. The then minister for energy, Ochillo Ayacko, wanted to demolish houses built under electricity poles.

I simply asked him where he wanted my people to relocate to after demolishing their homes - most houses in slums like Mukuru are under the poles. I realised they just wanted to make money by importing poles from South Africa.

In fact, I was approached, but I refused, to take money and look the other way as my poor constituents’ property is destroyed. They told me they would be coming to Makadara to force people out. That is why I mobilised the locals and told them, ‘ukiona wao weka taya’. I was not provoking the people to go out and kill. It was simply a warning. Even our founding President Jomo Kenyatta used to say, ‘ukileta nyokonyoko utaona cha mtema kuni.’ I was summoned to State House in the presence of the late John Michuki and Raila Odinga. President Kibaki sided with me.