Nicholas Biwott's 5 Peculiar Habits

Former Cabinet Minister Nicholas Biwott led a life that remained a mystery to members of the public.

He was considered by many as former President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi's right-hand man and the face of excesses in the former head of state's era.

Biwott boasted vast wealth which when coupled with his relationship with Moi afforded him an unmatched political influence making him both one of the most feared and revered people in the country's political scene.

On July 12, 2017, Daily Nation reported that the late billionaire was a man obsessed with his security that led him into habits many would only view as peculiar.

Mobile phones and Airtime

According to the publication, Biwott had five phones cutting across the various cabinet offices he held however he had not a single mobile phone number registered to his name.

He preferred using his aide's or security personnel's mobile phones.

Allegedly, this was because sim cards could be tracked in the processes of identifying one's location whether they are on or offline.

Biwott on several occasions would borrow a phone from the closest person to him, make a call then refund the airtime he utilised. And in most instances, very handsomely.

Food

Normally, in hotels, one would make an order and then sit tight waiting to be served. That was not Biwott.

Whether he had gone there for a meal, a meeting or even a function he had convened, he would randomly pick a plate and proceed to serve himself. This gave him the assurance that no one was in a position to tamper with his food.

Biwott extended this habit to the Parliament canteen where he also preferred serving himself.

Residence

Biwott was an acknowledged tycoon and allegedly owned several homes in Eldoret, however, he preferred to execute or rather conduct his dealings from the Kaptagat Hotel.

It is only after he died that members of the public came to learn that in Nairobi, the 28-year veteran legislator resided in Kileleshwa.

He kept his private life a secret, away from public knowledge, to the extent one could not exactly establish the size of his family- number of wives and children.

At the time of his death, only his Australian born wife and Investment secretary Esther Koimet were known to the public as members of his family.

Travelling

It was reported that Biwott allegedly had the most peculiar travel habit. That is, he never moved from point A to B in one car.

According to Daily Nation, from Nairobi to Eldoret, he would employ seven or eight cars. Meaning he would change vehicles six or seven times, some of them so old that a foe would not imagine that the billionaire would riding in them.

In Nairobi, Biwott would not even use a single car to attend to two separate events or even meet up with two different people. He had to switch them up.

Old Taxis

Biwott resolved to the use of derelict taxis that did not attract attention, whenever he did not use his cars.

According to the publication, he would hop into the nearest taxi whenever his vehicle was blocked during state functions and directed that he be driven to his destination as his detail trailed the car.

In public or even in a congregation he rarely maintained eye contact with people even when he talked. 

This was often mistaken for shyness but security-conscious people would advise that some individuals could read a person through eye contact.

Biwott passed away on July 11, 2017, having served as a Member of Parliament for Keiyo South from 1979 to 2007 and as cabinet minister In a number of dockets.

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