Pauline Waithera, who runs a fruit grocery shop in Kiambu town, on Wednesday, June 7, dismissed claims that President William Ruto used and dumped her.
Waithera, who went viral after endorsing Ruto's Presidential bid at the Bomas of Kenya in June 2022, Insisted that Ruto did not turn his back on her but gifted her Ksh300,000.
In a video shared by Digital Strategist Dennis Itumbi, Waithera revealed that Ruto had supported her since she accompanied him to Bomas and endorsed him as the fifth president, an election he later won.
Besides the financial aid, the trader disclosed that Ruto's support helped her cater to her children's education and other basic needs.
Explaining what transpired, Waithera narrated that she was approached by an unknown individual who photographed her. She alleged the unidentified person did not interview or question her relationship with Ruto.
"Someone came here and photographed me without my permission. I didn't know the person. I confronted them because I was concerned about why he photographed me. I then demanded mobile contacts," she angrily stated.
"I was very annoyed. Who told them I had problems? It could have been better if I was called out instead of Ruto because they don't know my relationship with him. I started supporting Ruto in 2013.
"Through him, my kids have never been sent away from school, I never slept hungry, and my house has not been locked. He gave me Ksh300,000 after I endorsed his presidential bid at Bomas of Kenya," she added.
Itumbi had earlier dismissed reports by a local media house that alleged Ruto betrayed Waithera. He insisted that the reports were malicious.
Other Kenya Kwanza legislators also dismissed the reports insisting that Ruto was still supporting all traders in line with his bottom-up economic agenda.
Waithera endorsed Ruto alongside Calvin Ochieng, a boda boda rider based in Kilimani estate, Nairobi. Commenting on the reports, Ochieng described Ruto as a friend who had not abandoned them.
"Mama Mboga never said such a thing against the President. What was reported was political propaganda that was meant to taint the image of the President. I condemn the media report which claimed that President Ruto used and dumped us since the Head of State has always been our friend," Ochieng insisted.
On Thursday, June 1, Ruto advised Ochieng to scale up operations and acquire an electric motorbike.
"Our boda boda industry is about to experience inclusive transformation through the introduction of more efficient, affordable, and clean vehicles. With this intervention, owning and operating a boda boda will become affordable, secure, and profitable.
"I am eager that this information reaches the seconder of my presidential nomination, Calvin Ochieng, who operates in Kilimani so that he can escalate his hustle to the next level," Ruto advised.
