Irungu Nyakera, once at the helm of the Kenya International Conference Centre (KICC), has made headlines by explaining why he opted out of President William Ruto’s recent Mt Kenya tour.
In a straightforward chat on Spice FM, Nyakera laid bare his reasons, revealing his unwillingness to be part of what he sees as a cycle of unkept promises. He said he is committed to honesty and felt that attending would force him into a position where he’d have to call out the discrepancies between government promises and reality.
Nyakera didn’t mince words: “That is why I did not want to attend the Mt Kenya tour because I felt that if I did attend, on one end, if I hear anyone speak, I will be hearing the lies, the failed promises, and if I am told to speak, then I would also not be able to tell a lie. I will face the people because we took very clear promises.”
He pointed to the growing frustration among citizens, stemming from promises that have remained just that – promises – since the 2022 elections.
Reflecting on his time with the Kenya Kwanza coalition, Nyakera noted, “People are angry because of failed promises. I remember in 2022, we were part of the Kenya Kwanza coalition as a Farmers Party.” Initially, some delays might have been understandable, but as time marches on, patience wears thin.
Nyakera shared experiences from his travels with Kenya Kwanza leaders, where they reiterated commitments that remain unfulfilled even today. “We went around the country to different places and held meetings. The promises that we made then are still the promises we will make today,” he said, pointing out the repetitive nature of these commitments.
Moreover, Nyakera took aim at the government’s financial management, challenging claims of financial shortages. He argued, “I do not buy into the narrative that there is no money in Kenya; there is money to waste. There is money being planted and wasted every single day.”
He criticized the allocation of funds to events like the Mt Kenya tour, suggesting that resources are being misused on unnecessary ventures.
Highlighting past instances of financial imprudence, he recalled an event where a simple project opening was extravagantly orchestrated with nine helicopters. “So, it’s so wasteful; that’s the real anger of the people,” he concluded, pointing to the broader dissatisfaction with government spending.
