A video from Fred Obachi Machoka’s glittering 50-year media anniversary celebration has given Kenyans a lot to talk about, showing the veteran broadcaster and his niece, former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba, sharing a warm, laughter-filled dance before the night took a dramatic turn.
The clip, filmed outdoors at night at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, captures the festive atmosphere of the Machoka@50 Grand Concert held on Saturday, October 10.
Machoka, dressed in a stylish brown African print shirt, is seen dancing freely among guests, with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Orwoba by his side.
The background rhumba music is loud, the crowd is on its feet, and Orwoba is seen smiling and dancing alongside her uncle.
The mood in that clip could not be more different from what followed.
How the evening unfolded
The concert marked five decades of Machoka’s broadcasting career, a journey built largely on his iconic *Roga Roga* show on Radio Citizen and Citizen TV.
The night featured Congolese legends Koffi Olomide and Mbilia Bel, Cameroonian star Sam Fan Thomas, Alicious Theluji, Les Wanyika and Them Mushrooms, as well as prominent guests including COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli.
At one point during the celebrations, Machoka invited family members on stage to acknowledge them. Orwoba was handed the microphone to briefly greet the packed audience.
Instead, she launched into political territory, chanting wantam — the opposition slogan calling for President William Ruto to serve only one term and flashing the associated hand sign.
Machoka, who had spent months planning what he described as a non-political professional milestone, moved quickly.
“Please, Security, toa huyu msichana hapa. You can not screw up my job. Next time you are with your uncle, utajua hapa huna neno, utatii,” he said, ordering security to take her off the stage.
Sections of the crowd were heard shouting that it was a “family beef” playing out in public.
Orwoba responds with a laugh
Orwoba is Machoka’s sister’s daughter. She rose to national prominence as a UDA-nominated senator in 2022, known for her campaigns against period poverty, before falling out with the party in 2025 after aligning with former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i. She has since been a vocal critic of the government.
On Sunday morning, October 11, she appeared unbothered. In a Facebook post that drew over 1,300 reactions in under an hour, she shared a cheeky response taking a swipe at her uncle.
The dancing video has since prompted debate among Kenyans, with some arguing it proves the ejection was about protecting the event’s neutrality rather than any family rift, while others say it captures how quickly politics can sour even the most celebratory family moments.
