Flamboyant Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko revealed that Rachel Shebesh, the immediate former Nairobi Woman’s Rep, almost broke his marriage.
Sonko made the revelation at a rally in Kariokor in Nairobi back when he was still Nairobi Senator. He said that a “certain woman” nearly broke down his marriage. He also accused the woman of having “cheating city residents into electing her, but she just goes about breaking marriages and not serving city dwellers.”
He was confessing about their romantic liaison, and even though he did not mention Shebesh by name, he gave plenty of hints about a woman elected to represent the county.
There is no other Woman’s Rep for Nairobi County besides Rachel Shebesh.
Said Sonko: “Mimi nawaheshimu wamama sana. Lakini kuna mama mmoja ambaye mlimchagua afanyie wamama kazi, mlipomtuma nyinyi wamama, vijana na watu wa Nairobi kule. Amefika kule sasa yeye kwa ile miaka minne alikuwa ananyang’anya wamama wengine mabwana. Hata mimi nakumbuka siku moja karibu avunje nyumba yangu (I respect women. But there’s certain woman whom you chose to work for the women and youth in Nairobi. When you elected her to Parliament, she has been for the past four years snatching other women’s husbands. Even I almost became a victim and she almost broke my marriage),” said Sonko.
He added that all the female politician did was spend time in office snatching husbands.
“Saa hii amechukua MCA mwingine kule... amemnyang’anya MCA. Sisi ni watu tunamcha Mungu sana, tunaogopa Mungu. Wamama wengine waheshimiwe (now, she’s running around with a certain MCA who she’s taken control of)” he continued and revealed that the female politician has bowed out elective politics.
“Ni kama amejua kuwa wamama wa Nairobi wamemkasirikia (I think she has realised that Nairobi women are not happy with her),” he said.
Before their fall out, Sonko and Shebesh were known to be very close.
On October 8, 2013, leaked images of a naked Sonko and Shebesh canoodling were posted online. But two days later, during a breakfast show with Radio Maisha, Sonko claimed that the images had been Photoshopped by a political enemy and that he had proof to back it up.
He also denied that he was having an affair with Shebesh, insisting that theirs was a platonic friendship, like the relationship between a brother and sister. He further denied allegations of a fight with Shebesh at a city hotel.
“The hotel has business suites, and we go there, not to the rooms. It doesn’t mean we were in bed, we were seated at our desks and had personal differences. It’s not an affair. I didn’t break her hand, and she is still in Parliament.”
Sonko was asked whether he got upset when Shebesh told him that hawezi kazi (loosely translated to ‘he couldn’t rise to the occasion’), to which he retorted: “Pigia bibi yangu simu (you can call my wife) and ask her if I can or not (sic). I am strong and healthy and I don’t use drugs or Viagra,” said Sonko.
“I respect that woman. Although we have our differences, I still respect her. I respect Kenyans and Nairobians who elected me. If they indeed come forward and ask me to step down, I will,” he declared.