From his humble demeanor and simple choice of outfits, it is hard to quantify just how much Kenya's latest Presidential race sensation George Wajackoyah is worth.
He does not ooze the bankable suaveness of a typical Kenyan politician neither does he display the braggadocio that has made some gold-wearing leaders a household name the continent over.
Yet, when you look closely at his wrist during a rally, you might, albeit unknowingly, stare at a rare golden-timepiece valued at Ksh18 million.
"This watch is about Ksh18 million. This watch is one of the most expensive gold watches in the world. I am a watch collector," beamed Wajackoya while gifting another watch, estimated to run into millions, to his doppelganger Gordon Owino.
During the Saturday, July 23, event, the Presidential candidate did not waste anytime reminding the team that he had never made such a gesture before.
The only other beneficiary of his timepiece classics was his grandson who lives in Spain.
"I have never given this kind of gift to anyone n the world. Only my grandson who is in Spain, I gave him a Ksh7 million watch," he added.
During the meeting, the politician also invited Owino to ride in his Lexus 570 car he uses to popularise himself in a bid to ascend to the Presidency on August 9.
A simple search of the car model showed that the 2021 version, LX 570 Two-Row 4dr SUV 4WD, which is the cheapest on the market, commands a street value of around Ksh10 million (USD86,930).
The vehicle is known for its exceptional off-road capability for a luxury SUV as well as a beautifully crafted cabin.
Since he launched his manifesto, specifically to legalise marijuana, Wajackoya has also not shied away from promoting the drug and visiting farms that are legally allowed to grow it.
In January 2022, he claimed that he owns a farm in Texas, which he intends to convert into an industrial marijuana ranch.
“We need to create employment opportunities for our people and the growing of marijuana will go a long way in achieving this. The problem is that we have been indoctrinated to view it [bhang] from a negative perspective," he noted in a TV interview.
It is, however, not clear how expansive the ranch is or how long he has owned it.
Locally, apart from a house he is building in his native Mumias village, he owns an office in the high-end neighbourhood of Karen that hosts a safe that carries his valuables.
Dotted with Victorian era furniture, the office has a vintage boss chair, mahogany desk and a library wall unit aligned with hard-cover philosophical books, a decorative guitar and golden sculptures.
In the foreground, guests are ushered on to a leather sofa chair.
