How State Official & Photographer Tricked Kenyatta Into Redoing a Cabinet Reshuffle

Former State Press Secretary, Lee Njiru narrated a never-heard-before story on how he was was forced to trick Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, during a mini cabinet reshuffle announcement.

Njiru, while speaking on NTV, made the revelation of how he teamed up with the late photojournalist Mohamed Amin to cajole the president into redoing his announcement using underhand tactics.

At the time, the President had called the national press as he was set to announce a mini cabinet reshuffle.

Amin had not received an invite from the press secretary and was hurriedly making his way to the undisclosed venue.

Njiru, on his end, had just wrapped up the recording of the president's press release and was getting ready to head to the studio for production.

The former state official narrated in detail how the film case fell from the car's rack and exposed the film, throwing everyone into panic as they knew Mzee Jomo was fiery and could fire them at a moment’s notice.

“Because our car was small, we were overcrowded. So we put the film on the rack. Somewhere along the way, well, it fell off and the film was exposed. And, you know, Kenyatta was not a joke; he could finish you,” he divulged to Salim Amin - Mohamed Amin's son.

Njiru and his colleagues decided to flip the car, stage an accident and head back to Mzee with what he’d consider a reasonable excuse for damaging the film, thus necessitating a re-shoot.

“We organised that we go to the nearest chemist, buy some bandages, get red ink, and then roll the car and also roll like donkeys and then go and tell Kenyatta that we had had an accident so that we do it again,” he stated.

As they all stood there contemplating, Amin appeared from nowhere, fired up for not getting invited to the briefing.

Njiru saw this as the perfect opportunity to right their wrongs and quickly conjured a plan with the photographer to have the President redo the entire cabinet reshuffle announcement.

They then made their way back to the President and spoke with Mzee’s bodyguard, Kimotho, informing him that the previous film would only be shown in Kenya, but that Amin had access and could ensure his film would be aired globally.

Kimotho then called his boss, who didn't need a second invite upon learning that his speech would be aired across the world.

“Okay, itaonekana mpaka ulaya? (Will it be viewed abroad?)” Mzee Kenyatta asked.

We told him, “Yes sir. The whole world, your Excellency.” Njiru disclosed.

Then he said, “Come on, bring that speech of mine.”

"When we finished, we had to babysit actually the film as we didn’t want a repeat of the mishap. So, from then on, your father and I became very good friends," Njiru concluded.

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