- Royal Media Services founder SK Macharia attended Raila Odinga's first anniversary memorial at Migwena cultural grounds on October 15
- Macharia disclosed he personally covered the cost of a helicopter, pilot, and fuel for Raila's campaign trail
- The media mogul also revealed the last phone conversation he had with Raila just two days before the politician's death
Nancy Odindo is a current affairs writer at Tuko.co.ke (joined in 2023). She has one year of experience in print and more than five years in digital media.
Royal Media Services founder SK Macharia made a striking personal disclosure at the first anniversary memorial of the late Raila Odinga, revealing that he had personally financed a helicopter, pilot, and all associated fuel costs to support Raila's presidential campaigns.
Source: Facebook
Speaking at the Migwena cultural grounds on Thursday, October 15, during a solemn tribute event remembering the late Raila on his first death anniversary.
Macharia addressed Mama Ida Odinga and assembled mourners, describing his deep and long-standing bond with the Odinga family.
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
How Macharia's tie to the Odingas began
The media mogul traced his connection to the family back decades, recalling that he first encountered the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga while working in Kakamega, during a visit to Kisumu Hospital alongside the late former president Jomo Kenyatta.
He said it was in that moment that he witnessed Jaramogi's unwavering commitment to Kenya.
Macharia, who hails from Murang'a, said Jaramogi personally requested that he look after his sons, Raila and Oburu Odinga, should anything happen to him.
"Jaramogi told me he has two sons, Oburu Odinga and Raila Odinga, and I am older than them. In the case he doesn't live long, I take care of them," Macharia said.
He added that he had since remained inseparable from both brothers and their families, backing Raila as far back as the 1992 multiparty elections when Raila competed against Kenneth Matiba and Mwai Kibaki.
"I have supported Raila through thick, and I don't know what to say. You can imagine for a man of my caliber, in the last election, providing Raila a helicopter and a pilot and all the fuel to do the campaign at my cost," he stated.
Macharia's last conversation with Raila
Macharia also shared details of his final exchange with Raila, disclosing that he had spoken to him by phone two days before his passing.
Source: Facebook
He said Raila had contacted him a day earlier, inviting him to Siaya to support Oburu at a function at the office of Governor James Orengo, who was present at the memorial.
"I talked over the phone, and he told me that he's ready to come back in the next two or three days to come back to Nairobi. He has finished the mission that he had gone on. It is well," Macharia recalled. He described Raila's subsequent death as a profound shock.
He also recounted that after the 2022 General Election, in which Raila lost the presidential race, it was Raila and Oburu who travelled to Macharia's home to console him, rather than the other way around.
"It is not me who went to Raila. It is Raila and his brother who came to my house," he said, citing that gesture as evidence of Raila's exceptional character.
Macharia closed his remarks by describing Raila as "a great friend, a great Kenyan, and a president that Kenya needed but never had."
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Authors:
Tags:
Hot: