Before succumbing to Myeloid Leukemia on July 1, 2019 Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore had reserved a unique, world class whiskey for then President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He had reserved Johnnie Walker Directors Blend 750ml which retails for over Sh450, 000.
However, this brand was taken by Collymore’s friends who promised to buy another for Uhuru.
According to TV journalist Jeff Koinange, as they planned how to honour their pledge to Uhuru, they contemplated buying a cheaper brand because the President was not aware the type that had been kept for him.
Jeff said less than 150 of bottles of this Johnie Walker Directors Blend were produced and distributed to whisky Connoisseurs around the world.
Two days before his death he shared the special whiskey with the ‘Boys Club’.
The club composed of late Collymore, businessman Ally Khan Satchu, Radio Africa Group retired CEO Patrick Quarcoo, Peter Kenneth, Jeff, Scangroup former CEO Bharat Thakrar, former British High Commissioner Nic Hailey and Stanbic Bank CEO Joshua Oigara.
That day a sickly Collymore took a whiskey reserved for a special friend and shared amongst his friends.
He said; “Guys remember what I told you the other day I may not make it past July? I think it gonna be sooner”.
He assigned each of his friends some work during his burial as they drunk overwhelmed with shock.
That was on a Saturday and the following Monday he was gone.
During his requiem mass Peter Kenneth talked about the whiskey, prompting Uhuru to react and urge them to pay him a fine.
“He eventually went to his whiskey store and opened a very special blended whiskey that he had kept many years for a special guest. He insisted we become the special guests. We all shared the drink even for those who don’t drink whiskey” Kenneth told the mourners.
Uhuru while addressing the mourners told the Boys club.
“My one disappointment is that I should have gone back to collect something that had been reserved for a special friend. So Peter Kenneth, Oigara and crew you have to pay. That did not belong to you”.
Jeff in an interview later said the went into panic mode and started plans to get a whiskey for Uhuru.
And because the President was not away which brand it was, they pondered getting a different, cheaper one to replace the one they took.
“We said, oh men why not give him a different bottle? He wouldn’t know” Jeff disclosed.
They however decided for respect of Collymore search for the rare brand which they found in Ireland and shipped it while packed in a box to avoid breaking.
“We decided that before the President sends someone to ask for that fine we need to get that bottle here as soon as we can” Jeff narrated.
Collymore according to his friends was a whiskey collector and had about 162 bottles of different whiskies from around the globe.
