When President Uhuru was revealing the names of his cabinet secretaries, he decided to take questions from journalists. The exercise was going smoothly (at least on Twitter), until Oliver Mathenge picked the microphone to ask the president a question we still cannot recall. As with all journalist before him, Mathenge had to introduce himself, but the president cut him short telling him he ‘knew him’.
From that moment, Twitter has been awake with theories on how the president knows the journalist, and jokes on the same.
Blogger Dennis Itumbi was the first to comment.
The President tells @olivermathenge I know You…Oliver sasa leta chumvi ya State House
— Dennis Itumbi (@OleItumbi) April 23, 2013
Ferdinand Omondi joined in.
And the President invites @olivermathenge and @ritatinina et al for tea. #OkBye
— FERDINAND OMONDI (@FerdyOmondi) April 23, 2013
Then media madness took his turn.
Eish @olivermathenge gets a shout out … From the president, his former ahem. Friend/boss?
— #thenightnax (@MediaMK) April 23, 2013
Even artiste Avril was impressed, and immediately followed Oliver.
#NF @olivermathenge ..the President knows him by name yo..lol..
— avril nyambura (@AvrilKenya) April 23, 2013
And more
@olivermathenge I come out strongly to say he also know me through the daughter.
— Kevin Otiende (@KevinOtiende) April 23, 2013
Oliver was finally forced to respond.
Ok, calm down people. The President knows a lot of people!
— Oliver Mathenge (@OliverMathenge) April 23, 2013
And still more
@olivermathenge si u hook me up with the president?
— Moses Tile (@mosestile) April 23, 2013
@avrilkenya @olivermathenge he must be a son frm a very prominent guy up there hehe…
— Chif harry (@Chifharry) April 23, 2013
After all the jokes and speculation, it was down to the big question. How does the president know Oliver Mathenge?
It turns out the story is sweeter than you think.
Apparently, as revealed by Dennis Itumbi and The Jackal News, Uhuru Kenyatta while still the finance minister, once bumped into Oliver and his then girlfriend and K24 reporter Jacque Maribe
Jacque is currently a reporter at Citizen TV.
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| Jacque Maribe [Photo||Facebook] |
In 2011, blogger Dennis Itumbi threw a bash for Jacque at the Great Rift Valley Lodge. Oliver, being the boyfriend was naturally present.
Uhuru Kenyatta was incidentally at the same venue, for a KANU meeting. So when it was party time, the president was among the guests and he did not come empty handed. How could he and Jacque was his employee at K24?
With him was a bottle of wine and a word of advice for the beautiful journalist.
“From a man who is 50 to a girl who has just started life; This (a bottle of wine) is for you. Do not let life pass-by. From a man, who is aged, I missed my chances in life to the maximum; do not waste yours. Grab them, utilize the opportunities and do not waste them.”
Uhuru then joined Jacque’s hand with Mathenge’s and said ‘God Bless you’.
Part of this story was confirmed by Dennis Itumbi, who tweeted.
@olivermathenge I thought after President @ukenyatta said ‘I Know You’ he would ask..” are u still dating the girl I gave a bottle of wine?”
— Dennis Itumbi (@OleItumbi) April 23, 2013
Apparently, not a lot can be written about Mathenge and Maribe’s affair these days, but the guy can stand tall and say,’ The president knows me bitch’.
Credit: Jackal News
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