Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - Thomas Kwaka Omolo, better known as Big Ted, has lifted the lid on the tough realities he and his team faced while working at State House during Uhuru’s presidency.
In a conversation with Dr. Ofweneke, the celebrated events
guru revealed that after retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 2013 election
victory, he and others were appointed and immediately thrown into demanding
responsibilities - but went for a whole year without receiving a salary.
“In State House, we worked for one year without pay. We won
the election, went in, and were told ‘wewe fanya hii, fanya hii’,” Big
Ted recalled.
The delay, he explained, was due to Government bureaucracy,
where every post had to be processed through the Public Service Commission.
Positions had to be advertised, candidates shortlisted, and
only then could appointments be formalized.
“So that is fair for everybody in Kenya. But here you are
already working, waiting for this one year of back‑and‑forth. Finally, we made
it,” he added.
Big Ted shared a surprising twist when the long‑awaited
payment finally came.
“My bank called me saying, ‘Ted, I think they have deposited
the president’s salary in your account.’”
“I rushed to check, withdrew Ksh 300,000, but the deposit
was about Ksh 3 million,” he revealed.
In 2013, Big Ted was appointed Deputy Director of Brand and
Strategy at State House, later rising to Director of Brand Strategy and Events
at the Executive Office of the President.
His career continued to soar when Uhuru later named him
Consul‑General at Kenya’s Consulate in Los Angeles, USA.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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