Top 10 most controversial Nairobians

By NAIROBIAN TEAM

1. Rachel Shebesh

The Nairobi women’s rep is now considered the ultimate political sex symbol in Kenya. She is vocal, opinionated and nothing, it seems, even physical threats, can stop her from saying or doing whatever she wants. The 42-year-old politician has been involved in controversy and no one can deny that the colourful life of Rachel Wambui Shebesh keeps gossip columnists busy.

Shebesh is the only woman to have received a ‘gubernatorial slap’, and ‘senatorial punch’, and back to back, too. She was reportedly slapped by Governor Evans Kidero at his office in City Hall and almost a week later, she was involved in a fight with senator Mike Sonko at a city hotel.

Just before the March 4 elections, there were rumours that Sonko and Shebesh were having an affair. And in an exclusive interview last month, the senator told The Nairobian: “I love Shebesh as a sister.” He talked about their close association in their Jubilee party and in tackling Nairobi county matters.

But their political ‘honeymoon’ seems to have ended after their recent fight. The women’s rep has since tried to keep a low profile by resigning as a member of several parliamentary committees.

Shebesh, however, seems not to be anywhere out of the public limelight. Embarrassing photos allegedly said to be of her have been circulating online. Bloggers have claimed a nude woman in the photos is the Nairobi women’s rep. The source of the photos has not been established.

2. Mike Sonko

Almost all the recent publicity about Sonko has revolved around Shebesh who apparently fell out with him weeks ago. But is there anything quiet and peaceful about the Nairobi senator? From his love of colourful, clashing attire to a Mohawk and his love for bling, Mike Mbuvi Sonko stands out like sore thumb. Sonko spends more than Sh10 million every month, helping people with problems, and when offended, he can let out some unpalatables. Hated by the snobbish elite, Mike Sonko is a darling of the people and was overwhelmingly elected, with a wide margin, to be the capital city’s first senator.

3. Paul Kobia aka Prezda

The businessman was accused of stealing gold worth Sh 8 billion from DRC’s president, Joseph Kabila last year. The former Catholic priest lives a colourful life, drives the biggest fuel guzzlers and insists, he is a religious family man, who runs a legitimate business.

4. Vera Sidika

She sits on a fortune. Her biggest asset, excuse the pun, is her bum. She first appeared in a music video by P-Unit, and ever since her big behind was captured on video, she has gained unprecedented following and a fanatical fan base. She claims she “gets paid to attend and add glamour” to events. No doubt that is pretty hard work that will require her standing for hours so the ‘glamour’ can be seen. The third-year university student who drives some of the biggest fuel guzzlers on Kenyan roads says she is a businesswoman with interest in clothes. She reportedly owns two clothes shops, one in Mombasa and a bigger one in the city.

5. Jacob Juma

Jacob Juma fans the fire of controversy, and is not apologetic about it. The man is demanding hundreds of millions of shillings from the National Cereals and Produce Board, and the courts are on his side. He has paralysed a State institution, saying ‘his money’ must be paid — mafia style. The 42-year-old, in an interview, says he has never been “employed by anybody” and lives in a Sh100 million house in Karen. Aside from his company, Erad Supplies crippling NCPB, he was also in the headlines when Mining minister Najib Balala cancelled Cortec Mining Kenya licences. Juma has 30 per cent stake in Cortec. The firm claimed the rare earth concentrates and niobium at the Mrima Hills are worth close to Sh100 trillion. Juma was sued at one time by KRA to recover three years of unpaid taxes amounting to Sh156 million. The taxman wanted to attach Juma’s account at KCB with funds totaling Sh297 million. He sued them and won the case.

6. Prezzo (Jackson Makini)

When Prezzo came into the limelight, he first dated radio presenter Sheila Mwanyigah, then dumped her to date and later marry Daisy Kiplagat, the daughter of once top Rift Valley politician Hosea Kiplagat. They had a daughter together but their marriage snowballed with Daisy accused Prezzo of adultery. She divorced him.

The woman that Daisy accused Prezzo of cheating on her with was Joy Wanjohi, a former model.

Last year, Prezzo met and ‘fell in love’ with the late Nigerian beauty Goldie when he represented Kenya in the Big Brother Africa competition.

In a divorce filed by a white American married to a Kenyan woman from the Coast (she died shortly after) in the 2000, Prezzo was named as the main cause of the divorce, due to his affair with the American’s wife.

Early this year, Prezzo was said to be having a fling with former Miss Tanzania Wema Sepetu.  “I am King Mswati,” Prezzo recently said. “I can’t help it if the ladies love Prezzo!”

Away from matters of love, controversial musician Prezzo is on the run after he was allegedly involved in a fight at Aqua Bar over a parking slot at about 3am.

According to Gigiri police boss Vitalis Otieno, Prezzo had obstructed a military colonel from Switzerland which prompted the argument.

The military colonel was treated and discharged from MP Shah Hospital.

And after the drama, Prezzo is alleged to have tried to cock his gun and shoot at the officer who was bleeding at that time. He was restrained by his bodyguards who dragged him to his car and sped off.

7. Ahmednassir Abdulahi

Ahmednassir Abdulahi is vocal and arrogant. He is said to have engineered the plot to oust registrar Gladys Boss Shollei form the Judiciary. The Star newspaper reported that Ahmednasir asked the judiciary staff to call him, ‘The Grand Mullah’ and he is feared by many in the corridors of justice. Ahmednassir is the publisher of the controversial Nairobi Law Monthly magazine, which recently claimed that the managing director of the Star newspaper, William Pike, is a British spy. Pike has since denied that he works as an agent for Britain’s MI6.

8. Huddah Monroe

Huddah aka Alhuda Shariff loved 1960’s sex symbol Marylyn Monroe so much that she took her second name. She loves her marijuana and is not afraid of letting people know that. She chronicles her sex life on social media for all to see. She also likes taking nude photos, which she uploads, online. There is so much information about her sex life, her love for marijuana and her love for good things in life but there is little about her education. Mind boggles.

9. Brian Yongo

At 42 years, he claims he is worth Sh700 million. Described as a ‘debt-collector’ in media reports, the controversial businessman rejects suggestions that he is a conman or a dirty dealmaker.

“I am hardworking, and I am also very smart,” says Yongo.

The debt collector made controversial and salacious allegations against his friend-turned-foe Ahmednasir Abdulahi. Apart from claiming that Ahmednasir did not finish his pupilage and hence should not be allowed to practice law, Yongo lives in a lavishly furnished 30-room house in the city’s plush Kitisuru area. The residence not only has a gym, sauna and fully stocked bar, but also houses a disco — complete with a smoke machine, DJ deck and dazzling lights.

“I use the underground disco to entertain my clients and visitors and I have all the fine whiskeys at the bar,” says Yongo.

In his parking bay sits a Range Rover Vogue and two Mercedes Benz S Class cars. Another ‘German machine’, a Mercedes C350 Luxury 2-Door Coupe that is said to change colour depending on the weather, also takes pride of place.

“A few months back, when I wanted insurance for my house and cars, ICEA, the insurance firm, valued the three Mercedes and the Range at Sh50 million. The house was valued at Sh300 million,” says Yongo.

10. Robert Alai

Love him or hate him, one thing you can never do is to ignore him. Alai, an avid ‘tweeter’, Alai is also associated with www.techmtaa.com, which has put him at loggerheads with some corporates, politicians and political parties. The latest tussle involves Safaricom, which has sued him for allegedly publishing defamatory articles against the company. The feisty Alai is also involved in legal battles with Dennis Itumbi, former government spokesman (now Machakos governor) Alfred Mutua and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia. Most of these are related to his tweets which reach more than 55,000 followers.