A local newspaper on Wednesday morning found itself on the wrong side of its readers after running a story concerning the value of embattled Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich’s wristwatch.
According to a story by the Star Newspaper, Rotich and Treasury CS Kamau Thugge’s good taste for expensive watches showed how the two were extremely rich. “You can judge a man by what is on his wrist.” was the head discussion of the story.
According to the story, which referred to the watchmaker’s website, Rotich’s watch retails for 1,250 Euros which is an equivalent of Sh144,726 while Thugge’s Breitling Chronomat 44 GMT with steel strap costed anything between $5,000 and $13,000 which roughly between Sh518,000 and Sh1.3 million Kenyan money.
The story, however, seemed to have rubbed social media readers the wrong way with many accusing the media house of running a petty story having in mind that the two leaders were earning huge salaries as compared to their wristwatches.
What crap is this? 144k worth watch worn by someone who has been Head in Treasury from 2006 and CS from 2013 is as normal as the setting of the sun, not worth mentioning!
— Punda Amechoka (@AmechokaPunda) July 24, 2019
Julius Tuei These guys have 1m salary
Baba Nabil Ibrahim My watch costed me 65K and am a hustler. What is that to a whole minister of finance. He needs to upgrade boss.
Caleb Rono Consider his salary and how many years he’s been employed.
And that is news?
— Walter Mang'ana (@WalterMangana1) July 24, 2019
Others questioned what the value of their watches had to do with the scandal cases the two were facing in court.
John Mwangi Kamau Surely? The Star, what connection has their wrist watches got to do with their cases if I may ask?
The watch is not expensive at all though!
— Harry Kimemia (@HarryKimemia) July 24, 2019
Paul Mwenja With 17B in the pocket, that’s a very cheap watch
Chepkuto Lagat Kales are rich ask lord of poverty or kibor,kosge rutu etc..
Elijah Gitongah What has that got to do with this……. Stop the crap..#thestar
The watch is not expensive at all though!
— Harry Kimemia (@HarryKimemia) July 24, 2019
Others connected the value of the watch with the scandal the two were facing saying that the money used in its purchase was acquired from the scandal money.
Jeimo Ule Msey KENYA Iliuzwa kitambooo na pesa ikagawanywa
Kwamboka Kadzo hawa watu waliingia serikali juzi juzi are now living large. You don’t need any proof to know that they are corrupt
While Rotich might wear that as normal, Thugge is way off for a public servant
— Obed Makori (@Omakori) July 24, 2019