Bill Arocho is the burly guy who is a ubiquitous feature at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s political events. He inconspicuously dresses in civilian attire at these functions. At 44 years now, he no doubt has considerable influence among the Head of State’s inner circle.
If he is not whispering something into the President’s year, he will be seen hugging and chatting with the Commander-in-Chief, his aides and other senior politicians, according to a report in Nairobinews. Sometimes, he can be spotted controlling the crowds or directing the presidential motorcade.
Mr Arocho says President Kenyatta is his long-time friend, who he met way back in 2004 at the KANU (Kenya Africa National Union) delegates conference. “We have been in touch since, as he moved on to become the minister for Local Government, Deputy Prime Minister and later on President,” he says.
Mr Arocho says the friendship grew stronger when Uhuru had cases at The Hague. As he campaigned for the presidency, Arocho says Uhuru enrolled him for crowd control training and thereafter he started accompanying him to meetings across the country. “Up until now, I am part of the people who manage the crowd when the President has an event,” says Bill Arocho, who is the twin brother to Fred Arocho, the radio presenter.
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Mr Arocho describes Uhuru as a good man who keeps his word. He promised him ‘something’ during the 2013 general elections campaign and delivered. “When he was elected, I didn’t hear from him for a while. I thought he had forgotten about me. One morning, I learnt that he had appointed me Director of Athi Water Services Board.”
Mr Arocho, a father of three who hails from Kisumu, says President Kenyatta has taken his advice on several occasions. “One day in 2015, Harambee Stars were stranded at Wilson Airport ahead of an international game against Cape Verde. I called the President and advised him to act….He listened, and helped the team. The players remember that incident to date.”
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A lover of football, Arocho is the eldest in a family of three, and married with three children. He was born and bred in Nairobi and attended Ainsworth street primary school and Jamhuri High School. He proceeded to the Kenya Polytechnic (now Technical University of Kenya) where he studied business management.
He says his other friends are Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja and Gatundu South legislator Moses Kuria, whom he says he once saved from a mob at a political rally. Arocho was in 2018 honoured with the Head of State Commendation (HSC).
