This tribute goes out to the entire family, friends and acquaintances of the late Steve Wambia Gichohi, a Nakuru homeboy. This resilient friend of mine battled courageously with cancer for two years until December 18, 2017 when he succumbed to this illness in Johannesburg - South Africa where he had been living since 2005.

Steve Wambia is son of Mr and Mrs Zachariah Gichohi (Baba and Mama Shem). He was father to Kevin Gichohi of UK, brother to Shem (Nairobi), Serah, Mureithi and Esther of USA, David (South Africa), Jerusha and Kimemia of Nairobi, and the late Gichuhi, Murimi and Karoki.

Prior to relocating to South Africa, Steve Wambia was a close friend of mine since early 1980s besides being a very sociable and affable man to all and sundry. He had been living in Nakuru throughout his life before opting to start a new life in Nairobi in the late 1980s. He attended his elementary education at St Teresa's Primary School and then proceeded to Afraha High School in Nakuru.

After his education, being an agile, enterprising person, Steve Wambia hit the ground running by engaging in miscellaneous businesses with his parents and siblings including the intermittent running of their popular family restaurant, namely Red Rose Café. Later after acquainting himself with life in Nairobi, he continued doing business ad-hoc, putting his hand in minerals particularly dealing in gemstones.

In 2005, he joined his brothers Shem and David in South Africa and they collectively worked together in various fields thriving well in computer-related businesses. I was Mureithi's campaign strategist (chief campaigner) when he was vying for the councillorship in 1983, and he has always been my best long-time friend and confidant despite his being far away (in USA). Steve Wambia was bogged down by cancer and after periodically being hospitalised for two years, he passed on.

He was laid to rest at Lang'ata Cemetery, Nairobi on Friday, December 29, 2017. May our good Lord rest Steve Wambia's soul in eternal peace. Tribute by John Githanga.