The Death of Hon Dr Wilfred Machage: A Diaspora Tribute

If there is a man who should have become the president of the Republic of Kenya, it is Dr. Wilfred Machage.  A medical doctor, first from his tribe and family, MP,  cabinet minister and most recently serving as a Kenyan diplomat, he was a man who genuinely cared and loved Kenya with all his heart.  Dr. Wilfred Machage was truly a Kenyan patriot.

I first met Dr. Wilfred Machage at Orlando International Airport. My friend and buddy, Hon. Njenga Karume, had sent him to me in the United States.  I had invited Karume to the United States after I had meeting with him in his Nairobi office while he was the Minister for Special Programs (2004–2006).  He and I were trying to raise awareness of the drought that terrorized families yearly in Kenya. We agreed that the Ministry of Special Programs needed to reach out to the American Christian community to raise needed international awareness and funds to help supplement the government efforts.  Unfortunately, President Mwai Kibaki was in a political fight with Raila Odinga, so Hon. Karume called me at 2 a.m. U.S. Eastern Standard time to inform me that his trip would not be possible because President Kibaki needed him to travel to Nyanza to talk to Raila Odinga and his people.

Njenga informed me that instead he would be sending Deputy Minister Wilfred Machage. Interestingly, he told me, “I am sending you a doctor, like you.  I believe the two of you can work together. He is a Kuria.”  I honestly did not know anything about the Kuria community until Mr. Karume mentioned it.   I had organized events in several Evangelical churches for Hon. Karume to speak and I naturally shifted from Njenga Karume to Wilfred Machage.  When my American pastor friend and I went to the airport, we received Dr. Machage, a commanding figure that impressed the two of us. “That man’s voice has authority.  He reminds me of what people said in the Bible about Christ that “He spoke as one with authority,” the American pastor jokingly remarked.

Karume’s personal assistant, Mr. Mwangi, accompanied Dr. Machage.  Mwangi was a true Kikuyu politician who referred to Dr. Machage as ‘the Kuria.’  What really impressed me about Dr. Wilfred Machage is his command of the English language and his brilliant mind and knowledge of global political theory.  He told me he was a son of a pastor with the Seventh Day Adventists and talked about him and his father sitting at their home in Kuria every Sunday afternoon listening to my father, Pastor Timothy Kamau on KBC ‘Wimbo Niupendao.’  As a pastor, his father worked with my father in the early days of evangelism in Kenya.  We bonded as two PKs and he began to refer to me as his ‘shemeji.’

But nothing though could have prepared me for who Wilfred Machage was. On a Sunday afternoon in a megachurch in Florida, the pastor and I invited the community to gather and listen to a Kenyan politician talk about Kenya.  More than 500 people showed up not knowing what to expect.  For 30 minutes, Dr. Wilfred Machage made a case for Kenya, touching on Kenya’s Christian history and the role of the American missionaries and the fact that his own father, and even him as a medical doctor, owed his success on the work of the Church.

You could have heard a pin drop as this authoritative, kind-hearted, empathetic, and brilliant Kenyan politician made his case.  When he had finished speaking, the whole room gave him a standing ovation. I was absolutely blown away by this man.  We raised support for those suffering from drought and travel, for him to meet with the Kenyan Community in the United States.  I wondered why this kind of person could not run Kenya. The presidency of Dr. Wilfred Machage would have been legendary. We also worked together to supplement Kenyan rural hospitals with medical equipment.

Unfortunately in Kenya Dr. Machage came from a very small tribe in Nyanza. Since in Kenya tribal numbers actuate democracy, he did not stand a chance. Despite that, Dr. Wilfred Machage served his country with honor and dignity. He had a wonderful wife and family, among them is the brilliant young man by the name Steve Machage.  Steve graduated with a Master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and MBA from Coventry and served as a chief of staff for the East Africa Community Secretariat in Arusha, Tanzania.  Since an orange does not fall far from its source, Steve will definitely continue his patriotic service to Kenya, from which his father has now rested.

The last time we spoke, Dr. Machage told me he had a scare while travelling in Europe. He had experienced a heart attack and was treated in Europe.  His last words spoken to me were what he always said to me, “Insha Allah.”  It was a privilege to be his ‘younger brother’ and can testify that he served Kenya internationally with dignity.

By Teddy Njoroge Kamau (PhD)

HTBluff Associates

Diaspora Messenger Senior Columnist

Machage downplays Raila’s threat, says still in ODM

VIDEO: Senator Machage accepts Raila’s dare, ditches ODM for DP

The Death of Hon Dr Wilfred Machage: A Diaspora Tribute