A political storm erupted Thursday after Kanini Kega publicly claimed that businessman and political figure Methu once took him to play golf and later to Arsenal F.C.’s stadium in London to help him cope with the death of his mother, a deeply personal revelation that quickly exploded across Kenyan social media.
Kega made the remarks during an interview circulated widely online Thursday morning, triggering fierce political debate, sympathy from supporters, and criticism from rivals who accused senior politicians of turning private grief into campaign theater.
“Methu alinipeleka kucheza golf. Halafu akanipeleka kwa kiwanja ya Arsenal London ndio nisahau maneno ya mum kufa,” Kega said in Swahili, describing the trip as an attempt to lift his spirits after his mother’s death.
Within hours, clips of the interview had spread across TikTok, Facebook, and X, with hashtags linked to both men trending nationally.
Several allies defended Kega, saying the comments reflected genuine friendship during a difficult period. Critics, however, questioned why the issue surfaced publicly now, as political realignments continue ahead of renewed regional campaigning.
“This is the kind of emotional messaging politicians are increasingly using to reconnect with voters,” Nairobi-based political analyst Grace Mwangi said. “Personal stories travel faster online than policy arguments.”
Neither Kega nor Methu issued further statements Thursday evening, but the interview continued dominating political discussion forums and radio talk shows across the country.
Political observers said the controversy underscored how rapidly off-the-cuff remarks can reshape public narratives in Kenya’s increasingly digital political environment, where livestream interviews and short video clips routinely dominate national conversation within minutes. By Thursday night, local television stations were replaying the comments repeatedly, while callers on evening radio programs debated whether the remarks revealed loyalty, political calculation, or both.