He has been an internet sensation for the last few weeks due to his look-alike nature to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
For Michael Njogo Gitonga, it has been a fair moment riding in the fame of resembling Kenya’s 5th President.
In Umoja where he lives, he is popularly known as “Uhunye” (President Uhuru’s nickname in Kenyan circles).
Last week when he appeared for an interview with Inooro TV, everyone sought to know if he has blood ties with the president to which he laughed off.
However, a seemingly blissful Njogo said that his mother once worked in Gatundu as cop stationed at a police post in Gatundu, a statement that left all sorts of ideas from Kenyans online floating.
It is after this publicity that Njogo was thrown into another debate after photos went viral on social media of him allegedly being gifted a brand new vehicle within the precincts of Maridady Motors, a major car dealership company in the outskirts of Nairobi CBD.
The father of three is a mason by profession and has also tried his hand on taxi business and a pub all of which crumbled. His pub was the last venture that was dealt a huge operation blow by the coronavirus pandemic.
Touched by his plight, Maridady Motors through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reached out to him and decided to give him a second chance in entrepreneurship by gifting him a vehicle.
In a statement on Friday, Maridady Motors CEO Sir Eric said that he was touched by Njogo’s plight and saw an opportunity to help fellow man bounce back.
“When I met our president’s look-alike yesterday (Thursday), and listened to his story of losing his taxi business four years ago and of finally losing his eatery this year to covid lockdowns, I saw my story in his. It is a story of many fellow Kenyans. Perhaps your story too,” he said.
“But this time in his story was our turn as Maridady Motors Ltd to be the angel,” he added.
“As a father of three without an income, our president’s look-alike gives us yet another man in the Kenyan society that needs help with a fishing rod. Our deal to give him a taxi is our little effort towards that direction.”
The firm also said that they have arranged for a two-week training programme which Njogo is required to undergo before the the car is handed over to him.
Some Kenyans had expressed concern on his ability to run the business having two past ventures that have crumbled.
However, Maridady in an optimistic tone said that he deserves a second chance because everyone has had low moments in life at one point.
“We have failed many times before you heard our name. We too have asked to be given second chances by customers and partners many times. Perhaps in different ways, we all as individuals or businesses gone through caterpillar moments,” the motor dealership firm noted.
With the light now visible, Njogo has promised to attend the two-week training to learn important skills on how to manage his new venture all thanks to his look-alike nature to President Uhuru.
