Uhuru comes to the rescue of Githeri Man as he is booked into a rehab centre

Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba with Martin Kamotho alias Githeri Man at his home in Kayole, Nairobi. Kamotho has been booked into a rehab over his alcoholism problem. [Kamau Maichuhie, Standard]

On August 8, 2017 millions of Kenyans went to the polls to elect their next president in a hotly contested General Election.

As voting went on across the country, a picture of a man queuing as he ate Gither (a mixture of maize and beans) while he waited to cast his vote started trending on social media.

Martin Kamotho, as he was later identified, carried the hopes of the country during the hotly contested elections that was marred with violence , tension and ethnic polarisation.

His hilarious photo quickly spread like bush fire on social media platforms, drawing comments from the public regardless of their political inclinations.

Like hot cake, his fortune from a county government cleaner morphed as sweet deals and endorsements earned him a sizeable amount of wealth including a piece of land.

The buzz he generated quickly morphed into memes, videos and songs as Kamotho became a celebrity in his home area in Kayole’s Thawabu estate.

To cap it all, Kamotho was feted with a Head of State Commendation (HSC) by the state in 2017.

Yet despite all the fame and fortune brought about by the hilarious photo, details emerged last week that all was not well with Kamotho.

When he was invited by a musician to sing along during a function presided over by President Uhuru Kenyatta to distribute title deeds to residents of Embakasi East at Jacaranda grounds Nairobi, last week, he was unable to respond as he was too drunk.

Many people were disappointed and prevailed upon him to seek the assistance of the president to overcome his drinking problem.

Kamotho told The Standard  that afterwards, he decided to approach the President to help him deal with his alcohol addiction.

“I tried to reach the President but I was not able. However, his driver saw and called me aside and I used the opportunity to tell him tell the president that I needed help to fight with alcoholism which had taken a toll on me,” said

He said he was elated when moments after the president left Jacaranda grounds, his driver called and informed him that the head of state got his message and that he would be taken to a rehabilitation centre.

“I am very grateful to the president for agreeing to help me deal with alcoholism. I promise that I will not let him down. I have come here at the rehabilitation centre to change. I will go home a changed man. I want  out of the slavery of alcoholism and I just want to be a new being. I want to go back to my job ,” he said.

He told The Standard that he has battled alcoholism for decades saying he started drinking in 1989.

“Alcoholism is not good. It has led to many young people going astray and having their lives being destroyed. Excessive drinking cannot even allow anyone to stay with money even for a second,” he said.

His uncle said as a result of excessive drinking habit, Kamotho never keeps money.

He called on the government to deal with the sale of illicit brew decisively in order to save the young generation.

“Something needs to be done. The government must rise to the occasion and deal with this menace once and for all, ” he said.

Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba said she got a call from statehouse on Tuesday instructing her to track down Kamotho and ensure that he was put under alcohol rehabilitation programme.

Wamuchomba runs Mama Care Recovery Centre which is her brainchild where alcohol and other drug addicts are normally taken for rehabilitation.

Currently, the centre located next to Wangunyu Primary School in Kiambaa constituency has 77 addicts who are undergoing treatment.

She said the centre will ensure that Githeri Man recovered fully from alcoholism by the time he will be leaving there.

“Kamotho will be here at the centre for three months.“ He will be treated and fed well until he fully recovers, said Wamuchomba.

She commended the president  for intervening and helping out Kamotho put his life back on track.