Mathe wa Ngara: Speculation after granny is arrested with millions of cash and drugs

Kenyans, in their hoardes, throng the page's comment section every time an arrest or bust has been made, which is typically broadcasted with unbridled vigour and, sometimes, even glee.

The page, over the years, has regaled the nation with tales of small-time chicken thieves in Karachuonyo and then, out of nowhere, a major arrest of a Kilimani 'Wash Wash' honcho.

Whatever the crime, the Twitter account's administrator always ensures that they throw in a few literary devices, painting a picture so surreal, it transports you to the scene of crime and, if properly-written, you can even smell the bloody violence from your mobile device.

As Tuesday evening was coming to a close, the page struck again, this time with an arrest that reverberated across the internet, igniting the masses and flooding the timelines.

This one did not involve teen delinquents sweeping an M-PESA shop clean in Mlango Kubwa - it involved millions of shillings stacked in gunny sacks, a copious amount of dopey paraphernalia, a notorious neighbourhood and the unmasking of a woman, hitherto only probably spoken of in hushed-tones.

Kenyans read, almost in awe, as the DCI narrated how they 'recovered Ksh. 13 million in an anti-narcotics operation'. As the story went on, the juice started dripping, as Kenyans saw, probably for the first time ever, the face of a woman who might have birthed the infamous name 'Kwa Mathe wa Ngara'.

In fact, 'Kwa Mathe wa Ngara' is such a hallowed place, it's literally searchable on Google Maps and, unlike hundreds of other spots called 'Kwa Mathe', especially in informal settlements, the Ngara 'Mathe' appears to weild more power, control a larger swathe of the population, have more widespread influence and posses longer tentacles with which she has managed to single-handedly wring the law and claw off her rivals.

An hour after the story hit Twitter, memes started flying.

But first, confusion set in, because, on their Twitter page, the 'National Police Service' claimed that Ksh. 12.9 million shillings was recovered. Now, the DCI page was pegged at Ksh. 13.4 million. 

Anyways, the name 'Kwa Mathe' quickly entered the Kenyan Twitter lexicon with many rushing to Google to understand just who was this woman, what was the significance of 'Kwa Mathe' and why everyone was screaming 'Free Mathe'.

In the USA, when famous rappers, like in the case of Young Thug or Gunna are arrested, the streets sing out in chorus - 'Free Young Thug!' 

Last evening, there was a replica of the Black American rallying cry with hundreds of Twitter users proclaiming, in wretched unison, 'Free Mathe!' 

Soon after, she was now getting compared to the main protagonist in the American crime drama 'Queen of the South', with many interpolating her face with that of the 'Queen of the South' star 'Teresa Mendoza'.

Others, probably out of experience, even went a little further and threw in 'El Chapo' comparisons.

And when a diehard 'Mathe' adherent told off the DCI saying, 'You can arrest Mathe but you cannot arrest Kwa Mathe', they uncharacteristically fired back, saying, 'Sawa. Tupatane Kwa Mathe mapema!'

'Mathee's' influence in Ngara appears to be so deep, so extensively epidemic, it appears like one out of every five youthful Nairobians have benefited from her illicit services.

Five years ago, a local TV station visited the sprawling 'Kwa Mathe' slums, filming men busy rolling marijuana blunts and revealing that, even little schoolgoing boys were her clients. Also, you don't just walk into the shanty town - there're lethal gangs watching your every move, silently.

According to the DCI, the woman whose photo appears next to sacks of millions of Kenya Shillings is 54-year Teresia Wanjiru. However, many Kenyans are still unsure if she is the infamous 'Mathe' with many disputing the story and maintaining that the real, deadly 'Mathee' is still roaming free, protecting her territory and wrecking unspeakable havoc.

As of now, we may never get to the bottom of the 'Kwa Mathe wa Ngara' intricacies as doing so will not only spoil a good story but also dent a seemingly legendary reputation.