Boniface Mwangi and lawyer Ahmednassir throw each other lethal jabs on Twitter

Activist Boniface Mwangi arrested by a police officer during a demonstration to State House to petition the President to declare his wealth as part of efforts to fight corruption. PHOTO: FILE

NAIROBI: Twitter was literally smoking Saturday morning when activist and celebrated photojournalist Boniface Mwangi took the Grand Mullah lawyer Ahmednassir Abdullahi by his horns on the type of his clientele.

“Ahmednasir tell us a single poor man/woman you have represented on pro bono or a public interest litigation case. Just one,” tweeted Mwangi.

Seven minutes later the Grand Mullah who started off the current Tsunami on bribery allegations against Supreme Court Judge Justice Tunoi responded with contempt.

“Boniface Mwangi who the hell are you to demand that from me? And (wh)y do u think I should? Why should I disclose privileged info to a busybody,” asked Ahmednassir who seemed to have been inspired by that GidiGidi MajiMaji hip duo of the Kenya’s second liberation struggle when they sang Unbwogable hit single that got KANU out of power.

But Mwangi, the man who never say die dismissed the lawyer asking him not to hide behind the veil of privilege, but go ahead and name a single litigation where he represented the public good.

And in unusual sate of being cornered, Ahmednassir went bare knuckle dismissing Mwangi as a foreign stooge whose programmes and ideologies were funded exclusive by foreign donors.

“Your entire narrative and ideas are donor inspired donor dependent,” hit the Grand Mullah on what in a Boxing bout would amount to hitting below the belt.

Unperturbed Mwangi unleashed the most lethal undercut of the conversation that nearly needed the exchange in a Technical Knock Out (TKO).

The man who has revolutionised the manner of public protest in Kenya simply put that Ahmednassir is a Dracula who feeds on money stolen from public coffers.

“Ahmednasir your law firm is funded by money stolen from Kenyans. You represent economic thieves. They loot Kenya and you represent them,” he retorted adding salt to injury that without corruption cartels in Kenya, the good old lawyer would be an ambulance chaser!

Wiping away the effect of the jabs, Grand Mullah put himself together, and standing back on his feet with little bit of a lank he dismissed Mwangi’s proposals for donor funding as cheap self-depreciating alarmist and doomsday that makes him stuff legend in NGO circles.

At this point Mwangi was claiming victory already,” It seems I’m getting into your nerves. Why don’t we argue facts, after all you’re supposed to be the smartest lawyer in town?”

That obviously sounded like the Biblical David with a sling in his hand facing the mammoth Goliath with all the armoury a military general could surmount.

As his magazine was fast running out of munitions, Ahmed tried a last attempt to hit on target by daring Mwangi to disclose publicly annual funding and names of donors for his Pawa254 programmes..

But it was too little too late in the day as all amounted to was a feeble punch in the air.

“Visit our website, our partners are there. Even the Kenyan government knows who we work with,” offered Mwangi.

Ahmednassir’s last attempts were to suggest Mwangi’s street demos, photography and painting (graffiti) was just but a façade.

“We all know what your full job entails,” he sensationally claimed to which Mwangi answered,

“I’m sure the government will pay you for intel, tell them and save Kenya from me. After all you’re the smartest lawyer in town!”

At this juncture the public gallery was already declaring Mwangi the winner of this hotly contested battle.

One Fauz Khalid tweeted, “I like how it got to his nerves. That is so un-Ahmednassir. He is always cool but this got him.”

But before it was all over the Grand Mullah had an ace up his sleeve. So he thought.  He prided about his achievement at an early age.

“Boniface Mwangi at 24 years I was teaching law at Nairobi University. At 28 I was elected dean of law faculty at age 32 I was LSK Chair …”

Quite a fete by Kenyan standards but only until you get into’s Mwangi’s resume, “At 20 I won my 1st Photography award, (at) 24, I was the best photographer in Africa, at 25 I was appointed photo editor. I declined.”

This was too much for the Grand Mullah to bear. He couldn’t fathom at another man had just bettered his perceived his personal best and so dismissed Mwangi’s track record.

“Boniface Mwangi, not verifiable. bure kabisa…write a new proposal on pro bono service for Northern Kenya…many donors will be v(ery) interested.”

As Mwangi saluted in the air for victory providing the link to his wealth declaration and tells Ahmednassir, “ wacha matusi. My CV is longer than your client list, after all you only represent a few thugs who are raping our country. Kenya looters have made your unprincipled self rich.”

And the Grand Mullah bows in defeat without naming a single client he has ever represented pro bono or a case he represented that guarded national interest, “You can only beat me on bank balance. Rich western Govts provide you in their annual budget. I rely on Kenyan clients.”

Wounded, he pleads with Mwangi not to take pigs, donkeys, dogs, cats and rats to his office on Monday.

Fair proposition but on one condition; that Ahmednasir to promise that he will use his wealth moving forward to advance causes of justice.

“No four-legged animals for U. Good weekend,” parted Mwangi, after an hour and a quarter of heated exchange on Twitter.