Kenya’s first President Jomo Kenyatta was a man known for his uncompromising authority. Close allies say that he was a free person yet a man of stern principles.
One particular instance that tested his mettle is realising that his friend and a fellow Kapenguria detainee, Paul Ngei, was flirting with his elder daughter Margaret Wambui, who later became Nairobi’s first female mayor.
Love Letters
According to a report by The Standard, Ngei even sent love letters to Kenyatta’s daughter while they were still in prison.
Having secretly investigated, it is further reported that Jomo accidentally came across Ngei’s letters and, turning to him, exclaimed: “Hey, what are you going to say now? I’ve caught you, ehee! You’ve kept quiet for a long time, and here you are, a son-in-law, yet you never said a thing—hey?”
He openly reacted with fury, something that developed into a tense relationship between the two former Kapenguria Six detainees.
Referencing the tense situation as a notable family anecdote, The Standard Newspaper highlighted a headline that reads, “When Jomo Kenyatta caught Paul Ngei flirting with his daughter Margaret”
After Kenya gained independence, Ngei served in Kenyatta’s government as Minister for Information. Despite their personal clash, he remained a key player in the administration, taking on major roles that included steering land reforms and overseeing regional administration.
On the other hand, Margaret maintained a low profile life, focusing on social welfare and women empowerment projects such as the Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organization. She passed away in 2017.
Ironically, Kenyatta himself married four times and had many children yet so was protective when it came to family. Perhaps it was the pressure involved in the nation-building process.
In 2004, Ngei passed away. Yet despite occasional frictions with Kenyatta, Paul Ngei is regarded as one of the foremost heroes during Kenya’s struggle for liberation.
