Kibra MP Ken Okoth’s memorial service took an unexpected twist when Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko veered off protocol to address what he said others were afraid to do, revealing he had a second wife and a son.
Sonko spared some minutes off his eulogy to launch a sly dig on the late MP’s wife Monica Okoth and her mother in law Angelina Okoth for excluding Nominated Nairobi County Member of County Assembly (MCA) Anne Thumbi, who he alleged to be Ken’s second wife from the legislator’s funeral arrangements and attempting to forcefully exclude her son from the deceased’s will.
” I would like to confirm rumours appearing in the press and on social media that Ken had a second wife,” said Governor Sonko amid cheers from the mourners “In 2013, the late Ken invited Sonko Rescue Team to run a medical camp in his constituency and in the team there happened to have been a pretty nurse known as Ann Thumbi with whom they later sired a son,”
The governor said that Okoth confided in him that Ms Thumbi was his second wife and he asked him to nominate her as an Nairobi County MCA in the 2017 general elections, which he did.
“There is nothing wrong with having two wives. MPs recently passed into law a bill allowing men to marry more than one wife which President Kenyatta assented to,” added the governor.
The late Ken Okoth, Anne Thumbi and their alleged son at her rural home in Nyeri.
He spoke as a Nairobi Court issued a court order stopping Okoth’s first family from burying or cremating the deceased’s body until the case she filed on Thursday is heard and determined.
{See also: Sonko: I’m ready to step aside for Esther Passaris probe}
This came amid speculation that Monica and Ken’s mother had blocked Ann from viewing his body and forcefully wanted to have his remains cremated while she wanted a proper regular burial.
Sonko, who is known for various public antics such as recording private phone conversations with state officials also took his time to ask Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Starehe MP Charles ‘Jaguar’ Njagua to make sure that the deceased’s attempts to have marijuana legalised through an act of parliament are kept alive.
“Honourable Babu Owino and the young MPs who are here, like John Kiarie and Jaguar do not let Ken Okoth’s good work go to waste. Take from where he left and make sure that bhang is legalised,” said Sonko.
{Read: Kibra MP Ken Okoth succumbs to cancer at 41}
“Even President Kenyatta is heading to Jamaica next week for an official state visit. We will lobby the president to make sure that he strikes a deal to import the high grade marijuana to Kenya,” added Sonko amid rupturous applause from the mourners.
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