The fiery Gatundu South MP says he hasn’t cut a drop since January
By Special Correspondent
You vowed to keep off alcohol at the beginning of the year. How is that going?
It’s going well. I have not had any alcohol since the beginning of the year. I am not a slave to the bottle. I am a guy who is on top of his life. I used to smoke and I quit. You can stop anything that’s not adding value to your life if you set your mind on it. That’s my advice to young people. Do not be a slave to anything in life except good values.
Would you support Raila Odinga if he was to vie for presidency?
Raila is too old to be president. He’s too tired. He should retire and be a good adviser, a good statesman. Someone whom we would call and run to get wisdom from. If Uhuru passes the baton to Raila, he would be passing the baton backwards. The president will retire at 61 and hand over to someone older than him. That is impunity. The last time Raila was in his 20s was half a century ago, so how would he understand the pain of young people right now? There will be a missing link.
Would you support a Ruto-Raila alliance?
Yes, I would. But not with Raila running for office, but with him as an adviser. I would encourage Raila to see that he does not have to be president. His place in this country’s history is already carved in stone. He has already done too much.
DP Ruto has been accused of corruption. He faced crimes against humanity charges, for which he was acquitted of course. But you are ardent supporter…
Nobody has ever charged the Deputy President with corruption. All these are just allegations. And crimes against humanity charges have never stopped anyone from vying for office…and like you say, he was acquitted.
You were once a fierce supporter of President Uhuru Kenyatta. Why and when did you fallout?
We did not fall out. I am still a big supporter of the president. Being someone’s supporter does not mean you agree with them on everything. There are things I support him on fiercely and some that I do not agree with. It is nothing personal. It is all a matter of principle. I am a man of principle.
You insinuated that you know the killers of the late Chris Msando. Can you name these people?
No. I called a press conference and explained how I found myself near Msando’s car. That is all I said.
Why did you quit social media yet it’s considered the most powerful tool for communication?
It’s not even called social media anymore, it is ‘haters.com.’ That is not for me. I only use it to communicate. Anyone who says hateful things to me should know I don’t even read those comments. It will be like they are taking poison and hoping I die.
What would you be if you were not an MP?
I was a banker then I became an adviser in financial technology. I would continue doing that, including manufacturing. I will not lose sleep if I do not get elected. People are already planning what to do in two years. For me, not vying for any position is at the top of my list.
Does this mean you will not be running for office in the next elections?
I may not be running for office because I do not have to be a member of parliament to serve my people. I love making a change in people’s lives. I am also a very emotional person. I have broken down and cried when I see poverty out here. I may not always look like an emotional person because I always have to put on a brave face.
What are your thoughts on the Handshake? Could it be the source of problems in Jubilee?
The Handshake is a wonderful thing and it’s a good thing for Kenyans to be together. The only problem is trying to make it the panacea of all our problems. It’s not a ‘mwarubaini’ cure that will heal all our problems. The worst thing is that the two principals did not find it in their wisdom to carry us with them. They started running a race and left everyone to follow them. They made it for some people and not for others and this is a very big dent in the legacy of the president and Raila. They say that the art of diplomacy is telling someone to go to hell and they actually look forward to going to hell. This is what they should have done instead of forcing people to accept it. They should sell it to us until we see the good in it.
