Kenya's youngest MP John Paul Mwirigi, has opened up about his decision to ditch his cars in Nairobi when he goes back to his Igembe South Constituency.
Speaking on KTN's Friday Briefing on Friday, March 6, the soft-spoken MP, who was gifted a car by President Uhuru Kenyatta shortly after winning the 2017 elections, explained that he likes to maintain his down-to-earth persona every time he interacts with his constituents.
He further explained that he got elected partly based on his persona and was more comfortable around his people without the glitz and spectacle brought by owning expensive rides.
"When you were campaigning, you literally walked from door to door and that was an added advantage because people related to you. Now that you are driving, do they still regard you the same?" questioned Jesse Rodgers.
"They relate me with the same because I had said earlier that even after being elected, I would still be practising what I was doing before. So when I go back home, I normally leave my car and then use a motorbike.
"When you are elected, most of the people deem you as proud and so you cannot interact with them freely. I normally interact with my people freely," he explained.
Speaking to Nation, Mr Mwirigi revealed that he first expressed interest in politics while in Form Three at Kirindine Day Secondary School.
“I had a dream where I was tabling a motion in Parliament while I was in Form Three. That is when I started asking my fellow students to start campaigning for me since I would need their vote in 2017.
“I have held leadership positions in school and in my neighbourhood,” noted Mwirigi at the time.
Uhuru, following a meeting at Sagana State Lodge in 2017, gifted the young MP a Toyota Prado after he admitted that he depended on well-wishers to finance his campaign.
He later used public transport to attend the MPs orientation in Parliament in 2017.
