If Igembe South MP is Broke For Riding In a Matatu, Here Are His Colleagues

Aug 31

Written By

Newly sworn-in Igembe South member of parliament John Paul Mwirigi run a campaign that was people-funded.Even the Ksh 10,000 required for party nomination, had to be sourced though the spirit of Harambee, a community pooling together so that they could get the leader they wanted in spite of his material incapacitation.While only a few weeks ago the country was up in arms against Gathoni wa Muchomba, the newly elected Woman representative for Kiambu county for her selfish demands; where she wanted the Serem commission to cease from attempting to reduce the pay perks for parliamentarians, John Paul has been the complete opposite.He does not have a car, but he is fine with his current situation. It is not preventing him from being an elected honorable member of parliament.It is therefore ironic that some in society are now labelling Hon. Mwirigi "broke" for being who he is.The fact that he rode from Meru, his county to Nairobi on a matatu on his way to be sworn in should be applauded. It is a lesson to all and sundry that even leaders should live within their means.Thailand's Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt knows first hand how painfully slow the buses in Bangkok can be. Last June, he took a bus to the airport and although allotted two hours for the trip, he almost missed his flight.He had to leave the bus and call for his chauffeur-driven car to pick him up just so he could make his flight.That is what leaders should do. They ought to get first hand experience of what the common Mwananchi goes through in the daily struggles so that while in parlimanent, like in the case of Hon Mwirigi, they can craft laws that will work for Wanjiku.Hon. Mwirigi is not broke. And if he is, then let us look at other world leaders who may be labelled "Broke" for using public transport;