Mutua: Moi ruled without a First Lady for 24 years

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has, in a tell it all interview with Nairobi News, opened up on the ups and downs of his affair with estranged girlfriend Lillian. What happened between you and Lillian? All I can say is that personal relationships are personal. You are not there when two individuals meet. You are not there when they interact, you are not there when they decide whether to stay together or go together. So for me what everybody else thinks or says means nothing and it is the same to Lillian. Is it not contracting when you say relationships are personal yet yours was not?  Yes, I know, but you see it was just to let people know that a decision had been made because our lives had been very public, so for the avoidance of doubt we made it public. You know relationships are very fluid, they are like politics, today you are here, and tomorrow you are there, but they are personal. What I would like to tell people is that, if you have been in a relationship with somebody, respect them, do not talk ill of them, do not derogate them, this is somebody who has given you their lives. Kenyans were rooting for you as you seemed to be the perfect couple, you broke Twitter, so people started asking want went wrong? I was telling Lillian when all these things went haywire that we have just become the royal family of Kenya. It is interesting and I want to thank people for the way they have looked at us and held us in high esteem. Let’s see what the future brings. How did you two meet? We met many years ago. I met her in an aircraft and it was love at first sight. We just connected. We’ve connected, we think alike and that’s how it works. Do you have special memories of your time together? Every memory is special, great times. What will happen to the name A&L hotel? Why would I change the name? It is our hotel. It is our baby. It is like when parents divorce, for example, do they remove the names of their babies? I think the most important thing is that we are friends, we are very good friends and friendship is based on love. When you love somebody and they know, the love never goes away. Is that the reason you invited her for your birthday? Yes, and she wouldn’t have missed also. It was actually her idea a long time ago to have a birthday party as I have never had one. It was my first birthday party ever since I was born. I grew up very poor. I think I have had cake, maybe twice. I think my mom once and Lillian one time got me one, but not a party. It was her appearance that people thought you were faking your break up? Wacha watu waseme leo, watachoka. It is our lives. Should we expect another First Lady before your term ends? Moi ruled this country for 24 years without a First Lady. Time will tell. Politics in Africa is always family-related, what do you think your separation from Lillian is going to affect you? It has no basis at all. In the African culture, people run for MP, people run for office. Do you know Wako’s wife? Do you know Kalonzo’s wife? In the campaign structure, do you know Orengo’s wife? People choose the man. Who knew Margaret Kenyatta, before Kenyatta became president? When you went to vote for Uhuru Kenyatta, did you go to vote because he had a wife called Margarete Kenyatta? They just voted for kamwana, kura kwa kamwana. That’s how it works in our setting, we are not in the western world.