Former Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju, on Saturday, February 11, surprised former President Uhuru Kenyatta by revealing a much-guarded secret that he kept for over 10 years.
Tuju caught the former Head of State off-guard when he disclosed that he was cousin to the late former Education Cabinet Secretary George Omore Magoha.
While explaining the implication, Tuju narrated that his close family ties with Magoha would have locked him out of the Cabinet.
Tuju was a Cabinet Secretary without a portfolio during Uhuru's reign. While making the secret public, Tuju detailed that Uhuru would have been conflicted by having cousins serving in his Cabinet.
"I need to surprise the president that Magoha was my cousin, and we kept it a secret because otherwise you would have considered it twice having cousins sitting in the same Cabinet," Tuju revealed.
Furthermore, Tuju revealed Magoha's family ties with that of the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Tuju explained that Magoha's first cousin was also married to Ida Odinga's elder brother.
"You may not be aware, but Ida Odinga is also related to the home. Magoha's first cousin happens to be married to Ida Odinga's elder brother," Tuju narrated.
In the eulogy book, Tuju described Magoha as his dependable cousin who supported other people. In particular, Tuju stated that the deceased paid school fees to their other relatives.
"He paid school fees for so many of my cousins who are today successful people in our society. I am grateful to God that I shared with him experiences of being alumni of Starehe Boys Centre, and served in the same Cabinet with him," Tuju eulogised the former CS.
"But most memorable of all was that he was a cousin we depended on and a Doctor who treated my mother pro bono for many years," he added.
On his side, Uhuru mourned Magoha as an academician who transformed the country's education system. He hailed the deceased for fast-tracking the adoption of the Competency-Based Curriculum.
He also praised Magoha for taming cases of exam malpractice in the country. He attributed the 100 per cent transition policies in levels of education to Magoha's efforts.
"Today, we celebrate the life of a great son of this country. Prof. Magoha was a man committed to education, and enlightenment, a man who neither saw tribe, colour, region or country but saw each person as his brother and sister entitled to equality," Uhuru told mourners in Siaya.
