Nakuru Governor Kihika booed while reading President Ruto’s speech at a funeral

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika was forced to plead with mourners in Bahati Constituency on Friday to let her read President William Ruto’s message of condolence at a funeral after the crowd became hostile to any statements from Kenya Kwanza leaders.

Some MPs in attendance were forced to cut short their speeches or to completely go off topic, when the crowd jeered them, as the reality of the changing political environment hit the leaders.

Governor Kihika had an uphill task, to convince the residents of Bibilioni village, who had gathered to send off Bahati MP Irene Njoki’s brother Henry Gachie, to allow her to read President Ruto’s condolence message.

The Nakuru County boss pleaded with the crowd that the message was meant for the family, as her voice drowned in the jeers.

After hurriedly reading the President’s speech, Governor Kihika thanked the mourners for giving the government valuable feedback.

“Siku hizi mko moto sana…tunashukuru kwa kutupa ujumbe wa hali halisi,” she said.

But Kihika was not alone. Earlier, Ndia MP George Macharia’s efforts to preach the government’s gospel fell on deaf ears. He, too, was forced to retreat in surrender.

Although she somehow got the attention of the mourners when she belted her signature introduction of song, Kiambu Woman Representative Anne Wamuratha was forced to be a soloist after the mourners rejected her invitation to join in the popular Kikuyu song.

EALA MP Kanini Kega on his part distanced himself from the happenings in the country, saying: “Sitaki kuongea mengi kwa sababu mimi huwa siko huku, mimi huwa Tanzania. Kwa hivo muniulize mambo ya Tanzania, Arusha, Somalia…”

Other speakers afterwards decided to stick to the more acceptable topics under the circumstances.