What hobby or interest are you passionate about that might surprise people?
I love jogging. I used to run long distances until early this year when I hurt my leg. I have done several half marathons, the last one just over a year ago at 2 hours and eight minutes. From this year, I have been walking, and my monthly target is 200 km. I have not missed the target since January. The other sport I love, though I rarely get the time and the people to play with, is table tennis.
What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Swimming in a flooded river when I was in primary school. We would use 20-liter plastic jerry cans as floaters as the water was too rapid to swim unassisted. In the area where we were doing it, a tree had fallen downstream and covered half the river. The plan was to float downstream and kick this tree to be thrown to the side of the river to come out. If one missed it, you would get to some rapids below, and that would be your end. We still did it several times, oblivious to the danger. No parent was supposed to know what we were doing, as there was community parenting in those days.
If you could have dinner with any three people, who would they be, why, and what would you talk about?
His Excellency, the President, Dr. William Samoei Ruto. I am amazed at how he has set his sights on money from taxes. I would ask him what he sees as the end game and how long it would take to get to that good place he envisions.
I would like to have dinner with an altruistic leader; they are scarce today. Mandela is gone, and so is Mother Teresa and Wangari Mathai. There are others, however, who may be less popular, some of whom are featured in Kenya media. The question I would have for them is, “What happened to change your perspective? What is that wow moment when you felt that your life would from henceforth be devoted to something that requires a lot of sacrifice and brings little benefit to you as a person, at least in the short term? How has the journey been, and what has kept you going?
The other person I would like to have dinner with will be a youth who has been jobless for more than three years since graduating from the university. I would ask them how they view life, whether they have any regrets, and what they think of doing about their situation. I have talked to several such youths and seen some change their perspective and get better breaks in life. It is so satisfying when they call to update me on what they are doing or the jobs they have landed after some time.
If you could instantly master any skill or learn something new, what would it be and why?
Oratory: I would love to master the art of speaking in public eloquently and effectively, like Obama, the former President of the USA. I am very good at speaking in technical areas where the content is definite or specific, but when it comes to random events, when one has to look for something to captivate the audience, it is usually a pain. For a start, I do not like using written speech and always want to talk freely, but I sometimes end up not saying some of the things I would have wanted to say. It looks like the words just flow for very eloquent speakers like Prof Patrice Lumumba.
Can you cook? What’s your favorite recipe?
I hate cooking, and I am very poor at it.