Former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero allegedly paid Sh30 million for slapping fellow politician Rachel Shebesh in 2013, potentially making it the most expensive slap in history.
Shebesh, who was working as Nairobi’s Women Representative at the time, admited in an interview with Ghetto Radio that she settled on an out-of-court settlement with the high-ranking official.
Shebesh went on to say that Kidero’s fault was having the audacity to slap a woman and think he’d get away with it.
“If I did not go strong on Kidero, I would have opened a floodgate of every woman vying for a seat being treated in the same way Kidero treated me,” she added.
The event occurred in September 2013, just after Kidero assumed office. Shebesh had stormed the Governor’s office, asking that he address the condition of striking Nairobi county workers, some of whom had been arrested for participating in the strike.
Following the altercation, the governor is claimed to have thrown a strong slap on Shebesh, causing her to wobble briefly before her aides ran to her aid.
Kidero was promptly charged with assault by the former women’s representative.
Five witnesses withdrew from the lawsuit in January 2014, stating that they were doing so to expedite the reconciliation process between the two former county presidents.
Kidero lost the governorship to Mike Sonko, but he plans to run again in the same election.
Kidero was defeated in the governor election by Mike Sonko, but he plans to run again in the same position, but this time in Homabay.
Shebesh did not win re-election to the Women Representative post, but President Uhuru Kenyatta gave her a reprieve by naming her Gender Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS).
