Interesting facts about Jomo Gecaga’s bloodline

Jomo Gecaga is one of Kenya’s most quietly powerful figures, known less for public speeches and more for influence exercised behind the scenes. 

His prominence stems from both lineage and proximity to power, having grown up within Kenya’s founding family and later serving at the very centre of the presidency during Uhuru Kenyatta’s decade in office.

Born into two historically significant Kenyan families, Gecaga’s maternal lineage connects him directly to the country’s first President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. 

His mother, Jane “Jeni” Makena Wambui Gecaga, was a daughter of Kenyatta and his third wife, Grace Wanjiku, making Jomo a grandson of the founding father and a nephew to former President Uhuru Kenyatta. 

This connection placed him within a family whose political, economic and social influence has shaped Kenya’s post-independence history.

On his father’s side, Jomo descends from the Gecaga family. His father, Udi Gecaga, is a businessman who has long been associated with Kenya’s corporate and agricultural sectors. 

His paternal grandmother, Jemimah Gecaga, occupies a special place in Kenyan history as the first woman to serve in the country’s legislature, remembered for her advocacy for women’s participation in governance at a time when politics was almost exclusively male. 

Jomo Gecaga grew up alongside his siblings, including Nana Gecaga, who later became the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, and Soiya Gecaga, who has maintained a lower public profile but is associated with legal and philanthropic work. 

Jomo Gecaga attended St Mary’s School in Nairobi, the same institution that educated his uncle Uhuru Kenyatta, before proceeding to Eton College in the United Kingdom. Eton, one of the world’s most prestigious boarding schools, has produced British prime ministers, global political leaders and royalty.

Despite his lineage, Jomo Gecaga’s most defining public role came during Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency. He served for years as the President’s Private Secretary and Personal Assistant, a position that placed him at the heart of State House operations. 

As the gatekeeper to the presidency, he managed the President’s schedule, coordinated high-level engagements and controlled access to the “House on the Hill.” 

Before the 2013 General Election, Gecaga played a strategic role in Uhuru Kenyatta’s rise to power. He was closely associated with “Team Uhuru,” the campaign machinery that helped deliver Kenyatta’s first presidential victory. 

His work behind the scenes earned him recognition at the highest level, culminating in the award of the Moran of the Order of the Golden Heart, one of Kenya’s top national honours.

Outside State House, Gecaga has maintained interests in family business ventures, including agriculture and horticulture, although he has largely avoided public discussion of his commercial activities. His discretion has often contrasted with the public curiosity surrounding members of the Kenyatta family.

His personal life, however, has occasionally drawn media attention. Jomo Gecaga is a father to several children from different relationships. He has twins with former television anchor Anne Kiguta, a relationship that became public through court proceedings related to child maintenance. 

In those filings, Gecaga publicly stated that he does not control or have automatic access to the Kenyatta family wealth, pushing back against assumptions tied to his surname. He also has children from previous relationships, including one with Valentine Njoroge.

In December 2025, Gecaga’s private life returned to the spotlight following his marriage to former KTN news presenter Lola Hannigan. The couple wed in a low-key ceremony held on Boxing Day, attended by close family members, including former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mama Ngina Kenyatta.