Kiraitu Murungi, one of Kenya's foremost politicians who served in President (Rtd) Mwai Kibaki's first Cabinet, is a man under siege.
Kiraitu, who is the second and current serving Meru County Governor, suffered the humiliation of a lifetime after a congregation outrightly disagreed with his wife that he had delivered his 2017 election promises.
The governor - a Havard law graduate - had accompanied his wife, for a service at the Revival Prayer Summit in Meru where the First Lady, Priscilla Murungi, was given an opportunity to address the congregation.
The First Lady took to the podium and after salutations went ahead to seek votes for her husband, who is seeking re-election. However, the crowd gave her a wide berth, with her pleas falling on deaf-mutes.
Mrs Murungi asked the crowd to raise their hands if they were going to vote for the governor to serve a second term in the August polls, but the congregation remained unmoved, a sign that the electorate was probably fed up with the governor.
After her speech, the congregation remained mum and did not cheer her as is always the case with political leaders. She handed the microphone to the Bishop and proceeded to sit quietly.
When Governor Kiraitu's turn to address the congregation came, he tried to crack a joke over the embarrassing moments, but the congregation remained unmoved and failed to see or recognise the joke.
He noted that the congregation had embarrassed him in front of his wife, an action that was unacceptable in the Ameru culture.
"You cannot embarrass the man in the presence of his wife. When the wife is around, the man is given a little respect but if the wife is not present, you can tell him anything," the governor stated.
"Because when I go home, I want her to realize that I am a man and I don't think we have done well there. So I am asking please, even those who will not vote for me to at least give my wife a clap."
The governor's wife received applause from the crowd but the reactions from residents were not what Kiraitu was expecting. This comes barely two weeks after he announced that his Devolution Empowerment Party was joining Azimio La Umoja.
Kiraitu stated that his decision to back ODM Party leader, Raila Odinga, on his fifth attempt at the presidency was based on research, talking to opponents and listening to confidential reports.
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The first-term Governor exuded confidence that Raila will clinch the 2022 presidential race come August.
“We have done the research, talked to opponents and listened to confidential reports. I can confidently tell you that the fifth president of the Republic of Kenya is no other than Raila Odinga. Devolution empowerment party will work with Azimio Movement for a better Kenya,” the governor stated.
