Former Nation Media Group Special Projects Managing Editor Macharia Gaitho has recounted his experience with the Late First Lady Lucy Kibaki in 2005 when she dramatically stormed NMG's offices over a controversial article published on local dailies.
Gaitho, who was the Editor on duty on the fateful day, revealed that when Ms Kibaki invaded the premises at around midnight, he was already at home asleep before he got an urgent phone call from one of his journalists.
“Shortly after getting into bed, on the night of May 3, 2005, I received an urgent late night telephone call. It was Nation late reporter Richard Chesos and he was rather frantic: “The First Lady is here,” Gaitho stated.
He indicated that he did not waste time but dashed to the office where he found a furious First Lady breathing fire.
Ms Kibaki was angry over an article that had been covered widely in the print and electronic media about how she had stormed the home of World Bank Country Director Makhtar Diop the previous night during his farewell party, demanding that the loud music be turned down.
Gaitho narrated how Ms Kibaki chased photographers in the newsroom and physically attacking those who tried to take photos of her.
“When she spotted photographer Joseph Mathenge surreptitiously trying to shoot some pictures, she chased him around the newsroom and grabbed his camera.
"Mrs Kibaki went ballistic when KTN cameraman Clifford Derrick aimed his camera at her. She went straight for him and landed a hefty slap on his face as he retreated,” Gaitho recounted.
Gaitho, who describes himself as a hard-nosed journalist, stated that it was impossible to control the First Lady adding that even her bodyguards and police bosses at the scene just fell back and watched the spectacle unfold.
“But the still angry First Lady would not listen to the pleas of her security chiefs or to the reinforcements of senior officers,” he stated.
He painted a picture of how journalists who could hardly move from the newroom were scared stiff by the strong-willed First Lady who was demanding for answers.
The former Editor noted that after hours of being harassed by Ms Kibaki, she finally agreed to make a statement as dawn approached.
He highlighted that the scene caused by Ms Kibaki at NMG forever changed how the journalists covered her because they realised it was important to learn how 'to handle a distressed individual, irrespective of his or her station in life'.
“And in coming months and years covered the First Lady with caution and sensitivity, yet still without covering-up or concealing her excesses and outbursts,” Gaitho wrote.
