Kamene FM presenter Muthoni Wa Kirumba, popularly known as Babytop has defended nominated Nyandarua MCA Milka Nyambura Mwangi following widespread criticism over her English speaking skills during a county assembly vetting session.
Babytop came to Nyambura’s defence in a Facebook post on Sunday,October 11 arguing that fluency in English should not be used to judge a person’s intelligence,education or ability to serve the public.
The presenter acknowledged that she initially had doubts after seeing the MCA’s performance but later decided to support her.
She maintained that many influential people around the world do not speak English fluently and rely on interpreters during official engagements.
Babytop explained that English is simply one subject among many and that struggling with the language does not automatically make someone illiterate.
She compared the situation to her own difficulty speaking Kalenjin and Ekegusii fluently,noting that this would not mean she lacked education.
Her remarks came after a video of Nyambura questioning a county government nominee attracted attention on social media with Kenyans expressing mixed reactions to her communication during the proceedings.
The incident occurred on Thursday,October 8 when the Nyandarua County Assembly was vetting Patrick Ndung’u Kabugi for the position of Chief Officer for Youth Affairs,Sports and Innovation.
During the session,Nyambura repeatedly sought clarification about the meaning of a chief officer. Her attempts to frame the question in English drew reactions from viewers after the footage circulated online.
While some social media users criticised her sentence construction and pronunciation,others argued that speaking English fluently should not be the main measure of a leader’s competence.
Babytop urged Kenyans to stop mocking the nominated MCA over her language difficulties and instead recognise her as a representative of Nyandarua County.
Her defence has added another voice to the wider discussion about language,leadership and the expectations placed on public officials.
The debate has also raised questions about how leaders communicate during official duties, particularly when questioning county government nominees and examining their responsibilities.
Nyambura’s viral moment has therefore drawn attention beyond her spoken English,putting the spotlight on whether language proficiency should determine how Kenyans assess their leaders.