Nkaissery loved his Tusker, but never took more than three beers
The late Joseph Nkaissery was a very social man until President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him to head the Interior docket on December 2, 2014.
According to those who were close to him, the then Kajiado Central MP would talk to everyone, share personal challenges and also debate the current affairs, among other things.
He cared for the needy and would not hesitate to offer help.
Tusker was his favourite drink at his frequent joint — Bomas of Kenya Lounge. He would take two and at most three beers before retiring to his home.
At the lounge, he liked watching BBC. Waiters were always desirous of serving the soft spoken man.
REGULAR CUSTOMER
He knew people by their first names. According to one of his closest friends, who did not want to go on record, Nkaissery was a regular at Bomas of Kenya Lounge even before his appointment.
The CS would have drinks and chat with other revellers before leaving.
“Whenever he came, he would sit at the public counter, order drinks and even offer to pay for the other patrons. However, things changed the moment he was appointed to the Cabinet,” the source said.
The source said that during his time as the CS, “Nkaissery would come and say jambo to us at the public lounge then proceed to the private lounge because his lifestyle had changed”.
EXAMINE THE PLACE
His advance team comprising a driver, personal assistant and bodyguard would arrive before he did — like they did on the day he died — to examine the place and identify the waiter to serve him.
“We noticed he didn’t like the trappings of a CS because he liked mingling with people freely. But what he never did was to expose the inside of the government,” he said, noting the high level discipline that accompanies military personnel even in retirement.
