By Cyrus Ombati and David Ochami
When he arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport alongside his mother and a contingent of security men, workers at the airport thought a Head of State had landed.
With a black knit cap tugged down over his ears, Al Saadi Gaddafi — the third eldest son of Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi — and First Lady Haifa were on a tour of Kenya.
Al Saadi Gaddafi |
Libyan Acting Ambassador to Kenya Hisham Ali Shariff said the two were in the country for more than a week as ordinary tourists.
During their one-week stay, they visited various resorts, including Masai Mara and Mt Kenya.
Heavy security
Close to 30 police officers from the Diplomatic Police Unit and the General Service Unit were seconded to keep guard over the VIPs.
"Haifa is a First Lady and she needed the escorts you saw. This is normal and I do not see anything wrong with the arrangement," said a senior police officer.
Oozing confidence laced with a tinge of arrogance, Kenyan officials at times appeared helpless around Al Saadi. But at times, he went too far.
Like his father often does, Al Saadi demanded to use his Mark Four rifle to sport hunt at the Masai Mara Game Reserve.
To his disappointment, the Kenya Wildlife Service officials denied him permit to practise the sport.
KWS spokesman Paul Udoto said they could not grant him permission to sport hunt as the practice was banned in 1977.
It is at this point that the 36-year-old footballer cum businessman threatened to leave for Tanzania.
Wherever they visited, people took notice. The two either moved in a hired chopper or in a convoy of cars. Haifa used at least three helipads atop three city buildings to fly out to various destinations.
Besides the tourist attraction sites, the two also visited a milk processing plant in Central Province.
Guns for VIPs
Security officials who talked on condition of anonymity said they could not tell the number of firearms the VIPs had because they were not allowed to inspect their private jet. VIPs are only required to declare their possessions to immigration officials.
It is not clear if the two visited the Libyan Embassy located along Loita Street, Nairobi.
Al Saadi and his entourage were also spotted at the Safari Park Hotel, two days after their arrival.
He reiterated Tripoli’s commitment to forge new economic, cultural and political links with sub-Saharan Africa.
Since a Libyan company bought the Grand Regency Hotel, now Laico Regency, there has been a beehive of activities at the Libyan Embassy.
It is said Al Saadi, who stays in Italy, has investments in major European cities.
According to New York Times, he has been plagued by health problems, including appendicitis and a herniated disk (back condition), and was suspended from football for three months after testing positive for steroids. He said the test result was because of the medicine he was taking for his back condition.
In fact, he has played only one game in his European career, and that was against the dominant Italian club Juventus. He negotiated the Libyan deal to buy a 7.5 per cent stake in the club.
Love for hunting
His only sister, Ayesha, is studying law in Paris and was among Saddam Hussein’s defence team. His youngest brother, Hannibal, has a penchant for speeding and getting into scuffles with the police. Early this year, he allegedly brandished a handgun after beating up a woman in a Paris hotel.
Another brother, Moatassim, was caught four years ago trying to buy tanks and short-range missiles for his army brigade.
But young Al Saadi, widely regarded as the elder Gaddafi’s favourite son, nonetheless grew up with a soccer ball at his feet and his eyes fixed on matches overseas.
In 1996, he became president of Libya’s football association with the intent of building up a semi-professional league. He paid for players to come to Libya and hired one of the world’s best coaches, Carlos Bilardo, who led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup, for Libya’s national team.
Additional information by New York Times
