Musician Samidoh Muchoki has praised his adopted father, the fallen Colonel James Gitahi, during his memorial mass. Samidoh Miuchoki praises the late Colonel James Gitahi as a present dad and grandfather. Who raised Samidoh? Samidoh greeted the mourners assembled at Saint Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church in Kitisuru, Nairobi for the mass. The musician said he was celebrating the man whom he had so much respect for. . “Good evening. God is good…all the time and all the time God is good. I am Samuel Muchoki also known as Samidoh. I am a raised son of Colonel James Gitahi. I am going to read my tribute. Today I celebrate a man I have so much respect for. A humble and spoken man full of wisdom,” he shared.
The father of five said that Gitahi took him in and it gave him joy whenever his kids shared the adventures they had with their grandparents, Gitahi and his wife senator Betty Batuli Montet. Samidoh Muchoki and the man who took care of him. Photo: Samidoh. Source: Instagram Growing up, he often thought about how his kids would miss out on having grandparents. His parents died when he was young and was left an orphan. “A man who took me as his own not because he had to but because he chose to. Having given me more joy than getting home and listening to my kids chatting about how they spent their day with their grandmum and granddad I think something I had never dreamt of ever since I lost my biological parents,” he said. The musician recalled the various online dramas he was involved in after he started dating nominated senator Karen Nyamu. Samidoh said that his ‘dad’ had reprimanded him for it and asked him to stop the drama and he did.
” “I remember when in my prime as the Gen Zs put it one time my life was surrounded by a lot of drama and I remember how mum used to pray for me and hope that it would end one day. So this time I went to Maanzoni to say hi to dad and we had a chat. In the middle of the conversation he brought up the issue of the many online drama and his advice on how to end it sounded like a command and a real one from a colonel. I almost responded ‘ndio afande’ and trust me his advice marked the end of the whole drama series,” he added. How did Senator Betty mourn hubby, James Gitahi? Senator Bett Montet eulogised her husband as loving, supportive and social. “My cheerleader, never had separate bank accounts, you allowed me to be myself, always wanted me to be happy…” she mourned.
Talking about his social side, Betty said: “Jay had another very special group that he enjoyed, the Murang’a group. He together with Mr Kamau, a member of the group, would keep the head of that family, Dr. SK Macharia awake till morning with their stories. I know Dr. SK Macharia has lost a friend, he never got bored of Jay’s stories.” Gitahi’s children, Joseph and Wangeci also paid glowing tributes to their father, thanking him for being a great father and always guiding them. “Losing my old man has left me such an emptiness in my heart, that I doubt it can never be filled. Realising that I will never get to make and seeing him being proud and happy of me one more time…Your guiding hand will forever be on my shoulder,” Joseph eulogised his beloved father. Laid to rest on Saturday, March 15, at his Maanzoni home, Machakos county.
When did James Gitahi die? The former presidential pilot passed on March 5 and the country was thrown into mourning. His car collided with another car at Kyumvi junction. Samidoh took to social media to announce the news and reveal that Gitahi was like a father to him. The musician’s young daughter Shirleen also penned a touching message dedicated to her grandfather. She was saddened that she and her sibling did not get time to see him before his untimely demise.
by Patricia Tonui
