Jeff Koinange Biography – All About His Age, Wife – Shaila Koinange & Family
Jeff Mwaura Koinage was born on January 7, 1966, to Federick Mbiyu Koinage and Hilda Wambui Ngoima. His father, Fedrick was among the sons of the Gikuyu tribe’s most famous chief, Senior Chief Koinage wa Mbiyu. Fedrick’s mother was the third wife of the chief who married six wives. On the other hand, Jeff’s mother, Hilda was the first child of a rich and progressive farmer, Mwaura wa-Ngoima from Githiga village in Githunguri.
Jeff Koinage’s father fell in love with his mother’s sister before the declaration of the state of emergency in Kenya. Considering their great love for each other, Jeff’s father went on to pay the customary dowry to the Ngoima family but was arrested before he could finish the entire marriage rites. While in prison, Hilda’s sister who was to be his wife could no longer wait so she ran away with another man.
Hilda who knew everything that was happening started writing to Frederick while he was still in police detention. At first, Fedrick felt awkward about the letters from Hilda but he wrote back to her anyway. In one of his letters, he narrated what life in the Manyani had been like. Their casual letter exchange later grew into love and she began visiting Federick at the prison. She later got pregnant and gave birth to Jeff Koinage. Unfortunately, Federick died exactly two months after Jeff’s birth from a brain haemorrhage. The 28-year-old woman then raised Jeff and his three siblings Hilda Wanjiru, Phyllis Wangui, and Freddie Koinage single-handedly. Hilda served as a headmistress and strict disciplinarian in Kiambaa village close to Banana Hill in Kiambu County. She was training as a teacher when she and Frederick started out their affair.
In addition to being the grandson of the famous Senior Gikuyu Chief Koinage, Jeff is also a nephew to Peter Mbiyu Koinange who was exiled in Britain after the State of Emergency was declared. Remember that Peter Mbiyu Koinange was the first Kenyan to obtain a Master’s degree. He acquired the Master’s degree at Columbia University in New York.
