Wahome Thuku has weighed in on the dramatic moment when Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri faced an unexpected rejection at a funeral in Iriuko Matanya, Tigithi Ward. Reacting to the incident, Thuku pointed out that the refusal of Kiunjuri’s Ksh 80,000 donation signaled a shift in how politicians are received by the public, especially in religious and community settings. He noted that the event was a telling moment about the electorate’s changing attitudes toward financial contributions from leaders.
The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared online, saw mourners and the presiding Catholic priest, Father Godfrey Gichuki, firmly reject the MP’s offering. The refusal, met with mixed reactions, left Kiunjuri in an awkward position as some attendees openly dismissed the donation and sarcastically suggested he use the money elsewhere. When he attempted to negotiate by asking if the contribution could be accepted after a prayer, the response remained the same—an outright rejection.
Thuku’s analysis of the event raises key questions about the growing scrutiny politicians face when engaging with the public. He suggested that the rejection might not have been just about Kiunjuri as an individual but could reflect a broader trend of citizens demanding greater accountability from their leaders. The rejection, he argued, was a bold statement that money alone is no longer enough to win public support or goodwill, particularly in spaces where integrity and service delivery are prioritized over financial handouts.
By Newshub