From ‘milkman’ to General? Wa Iria’s battle for the ballot
“General Mwangi” has said his march to State House is unstoppable, daring the government to respond with all its military arsenal.
In the lead up to 2013 General Election, one Francis Mwangi changed his name to Mwangi Wa Iria after ditching the public service for politics.
Wa Iria, in Kikuyu and Swahili, loosely translates to “the milkman”. The governor is once again in the process of changing his name from the milkman to General wa Iria.
The man from Kiboi in Kiharu wants to awaken the spirits of his forefathers who were Mau Mau generals by also transforming into a Mau Mau general himself and head straight to the bush (pun intended) to take over the leadership of Kenya.
“General Mwangi” has said his march to State House is unstoppable, daring the government to respond with all its military arsenal.
Camped outside Bomas of Kenya
On Sunday, he camped outside Bomas of Kenya for hours blocking the road and entrance with his convoy of vehicles and his supporters chanting “no Wa Iria, no elections” after being barred from accessing the venue.
To activate his resistance agitation, the vice-chairman of the Council of Governors intends to transform his Usawa Kwa Wote political party into a national resistance movement should he not be allowed to be on the ballot.
“Bring Kenya Navy, Kenya Airforce and even if you tell Russia to bring the troops they are sending to Ukraine here, I will not leave. Mimi ni Mau Mau, I am not bothered. Alert Kenyans that danger is lurking. I am not going back home. I am the one to lead redemption,” said the father of three.
But still learning his ropes in the resistance movement, the General could not sustain the fight for long and five hours later, he left Bomas probably to load his armoury – read his stomach.
Monkey games
He has dared Chebukati to continue playing monkey games.
“They can play all their monkey games [but] we are not getting out of this. I will push them all to their end, and if at the end of the day they will not register me, I will convert my party into a resistance movement. They can be sure of that,” vowed the abrasive two-term governor.
But that is not all. The Kenya’s version of Jack Bauer has promised to comb every nook and cranny of the country for IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati, whom he said is avoiding him.
Even being locked up in a lift at the Anniversary Towers did not dampen his agitation as it only gave him a chance to break some sweats of resistance struggle.
“I will look for Chebukati even if he is hiding with the wife. I am asking his family to tell him to come out and meet me. Why is he avoiding me? Kwani what does the law say about the relationship between a candidate and a returning officer?” posed the second term county chief.
‘Bomb’
His main concern is the country is at risk of being blown up as Mr Chebukati is walking with a “bomb” and could detonate it anytime.
“Kwani mnaogopa huyo mzee anaitwa Chebukati? Don’t give a mad man a bomb, he will detonate it on us. This is a time bomb. It is like you are giving a mad man a bomb then when he will detonate this nation, we will be in tears,” he said.
Should “special agent Wa Iria” fail in his mission to smoke Mr Chebukati’s out of hiding, he will file a missing person’s report with the DCI, saying “I will be going to the DCI to report that my returning officer is missing”.
Like Biblical prophets warning Israelites of impending danger, Wa Iria has sounded a warning trumpet to Kenyans and the world at large that Bomas has been turned into a crime scene and a calamity is in the offing, and every person should raise their voice today, otherwise it will be too late.
