Remembering Raila: Meet the Man Who Gifted Him an Expensive Red Hummer During 2007 Campaign

Don Bosco Gichana is a Kenyan businessman and politician from Kisii who became widely known in the 2000s for his close association with ODM leader Raila Odinga, his lavish lifestyle, and his involvement in politics and business.

Gichana was born and raised in Kisii County. His parents were the late Celine Nyaboke and John Gichana.

His mother died in May 2016 while he was serving a prison term in Tanzania; therefore, he was unable to attend her burial.

He later returned to Kenya in 2018 and held a memorial service for her at their rural home in Marani

While details about Gichana’s early education remain limited, in a past media interview he said that he made his first million at the age of 20 while he was a student in the US.

Don’s Career

He later developed interests in financial markets and once said in an interview that he was involved in forex, commodity futures, and index trading.

In addition, his national prominence rose in 2007 when he became associated with Raila Odinga’s presidential campaign.

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A red Hummer that he donated became one of the most recognisable symbols of Raila’s 2007 campaign.

Reports have repeatedly linked Gichana to the vehicle, with reports saying he donated a new Hummer worth millions of shillings to Raila for his campaigns.

The vehicle eventually became closely associated with Raila’s campaign and the “Hammer” imagery used by his supporters.

Political Involvement

His political involvement went beyond the vehicle. Reports indicate that he helped establish and finance Young Kenyans for Raila, a youth mobilisation initiative associated with the ODM campaign.

Further, he was also associated with financial support for Shabana FC, a football club from Kisii, and various community and church initiatives.

Gichana became known as a wealthy businessman with interests in several ventures.

Among the businesses associated with him was Capri 7 Restaurant in Hurlingham, Nairobi, which was later sold.

In addition, he also described himself as an investor and a financial trader.

His wealth and extravagant lifestyle contributed to the nickname “The Don”, which became widely associated with him in Kenyan media.

Elective Politics

Gichana eventually moved from political activism into elective politics. In the 2013 General Election, he contested the Kitutu Chache South parliamentary seat but lost to Richard Onyonka.

After his return from Tanzania in 2018, he again hinted at a possible political comeback.

At the time, he said he was considering seeking elective office and later indicated that he would wait for God’s guidance before deciding his political future.

One of the most significant chapters of Gichana’s life began in 2013, when he was arrested in Tanzania after travelling there to visit his associate Median Mwale.

However, he was then prosecuted in Tanzania in connection with money laundering and conspiracy-related offences.

Kenya’s Parliament later documented his detention and noted that the Tanzanian court imposed a TSh300 million fine following his plea bargain.

Eventually, he paid the fine and was released in October 2018 after spending approximately five years in detention.

Gichana maintained that he had been unfairly treated and disputed aspects of the allegations against him.

Nevertheless, official parliamentary records confirm that Gichana was convicted of conspiracy in Tanzania and sentenced to a fine of Tsh300 million, which he paid before his release in October 2018

His case attracted considerable political attention in Kenya. Raila Odinga, William Ruto, Kalonzo Musyoka and other political figures were reported to have intervened or supported efforts surrounding his release.

Family Life

Gichana is married to Fash Oaga. The couple has children. When he returned to Kenya in 2018, he spoke publicly about wanting to reconnect with his family after spending years in Tanzania.

Moreover, he particularly expressed gratitude to his wife for taking care of their children during his incarceration.

On the same note, his children had been very young when he was arrested, and after his release, he wanted to spend time with them and rebuild that relationship.

His return home was also marked by a memorial service for his mother, Celine Nyaboke, whose death he had been unable to attend because he was in prison.

His father, John Gichana, was present when he returned to their rural home.

On the other hand, his homecoming attracted considerable attention, with political figures including Kalonzo Musyoka and Oscar Sudi accompanying him during events in Kisii.

Since then, Gichana has largely remained a less prominent political figure than he was during the 2007–2013 period.

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His name, however, remains connected to one of the most memorable images of Kenya’s political campaigns. Raila Odinga’s red Hummer from the 2007 presidential race.

The vehicle has continued to attract interest years later. In 2026, reports emerged that Raila’s family was seeking to preserve and restore the iconic Hummer as part of the former opposition leader’s political remembrance.

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Don Bosco Gichana
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