The Day Jeff Koinange’s Son Pooped at Nelson Mandela’s Office

When celebrated TV journalist Jeff Koinange was relocating from South Africa where he worked for Reuters Television to Kenya he had a special moment with then retired South Africa President Nelson Mandela.

It was in early 2008 Jeff was meeting the late Mandela to introduce to him his then eight months old son Jamal Mbiyu but as they were about to be ushered into his office, the boy pooped.

Mandela interacting with Jamal Mbiyu.

The precious moment was about to get messy but Jeff’s quick reaction helped save the would-be embarrassing moment.

In a Youtube narration about his journey, the Citizen TV anchor and show host recounted how he met Mandela when he was the President, became friends and the latter kept asking Jeff if he had sired children.

This made Jeff to take his son to him before leaving South Africa.

Mandela, Jeff’s wife Shaila Koinange and son Jamal Mbiyu.

“In early 2008 Mbiyu was eight months old. I was relocating to Kenya so I decided to get in touch with Mandela and introduce my son to him” Jeff said.

He was invited to Mandela’s office and was accompanied by his wife Shaila when the unexpected happened.

“As we were getting up with my son Jamal to enter Mandela’s office, he took the biggest dump of his life. A big crap, boom” Jeff narrated.

Jeff’s family meeting Mandela.

“I decide no way I could walk into Mandela’s office with my son smelling of poop. Quickly I grabbed him, took him to the bathroom wiped and changed dampers within three months and then we walked to his office” Jeff recalled.

Interestingly, Mandela and Mbiyu struck a special bond which was not the case with many children the late president interacted with.

Jeff with son Jamal.

“Mandela smiled saying Ooh this is son of chief”, a moment Jeff terms priceless.

They ended up spending double the time they were allocated to meet him.

Jeff met Mandela for the first time in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 1997 during The Organisation of African Unity summit.

While they were interviewing him alongside many scribes, Jeff introduced himself and surprisingly Mandela recognised his surname.

“He gave me opportunity to ask a question and I introduced myself as Jeff Koinange, Reuters Television” he said.

Mandela paused and asked Jeff “Did you say Koinange” I remember a Koinange back in the days of our struggle”.

Jeff with Mandela.

From there they became friends when Jeff moved to Johannesburg, South Africa they met regularly during briefings and Mandela would ask him.

“The son of Chief, how are you doing? how is your wife? any children yet?”.

Fellow journalists laughed as Jeff told him he is yet to get a child.

Days Jeff worked for international media houses, covering Africa.

When got the first born he decided to let Mandela know and see him.