Why luck won't strike twice for Pauline Njoroge

If there’s any doubt about Ms Pauline Njoki Njoroge’s place in our politics, then the torrent of reactions to her resignation from Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party on Tuesday settles it.

She sat on the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) where her word was law. Critics have accused her of betraying the retired president, the man under whose wing she cut her teeth. Those in support, however, say it was time to move on after a 14-year stint dating back to TNA days.

Ms Njoroge has now cast her lot with Senator Edwin Sifuna. Word on the street is that she’s eyeing the Nairobi Woman Rep seat. Other sources say she’s positioning herself for an unknown role in the Opposition, especially if Linda Mwananchi becomes a party.

Whatever her motivation, Ms Njoroge has goofed. Having earned a reputation for her convictions and ability to stand her ground despite bullying that often targets female political bloggers (recall how she once told off MP Oscar Sudi?), there was no compelling reason to switch parties in such haste.

By deserting a powerful position in Jubilee in pursuit of a sweeter fruit no one has yet seen, Ms Njoroge has taken a reckless gamble that dims her prospects. In politics, blind trust is disastrous. Remember the contentious MoU between Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga in 2002?

Should it fail to pay off in 2027, she will never bounce back. One diplomat said choices have consequences. We’re also reminded of an insatiable man who had an orchard with ripe mangoes. His baskets were full but when he saw a few shinier fruits hanging, he couldn’t resist.

Ignoring the fruit at his feet, the man climbed higher. As he stretched for the last cluster, he crashed to the ground and fractured an arm. In the end, he lost not only the extra fruit he coveted but also the ability to harvest the abundance he already had. Voracity cost him dearly.

For someone who admires Republican Ben Carson because ‘he is solid and believes in what he stands for, no matter what everyone else says,’ and doesn’t say or do things to please people, the digital strategist should have ignored every pressure, and stayed in Jubilee to build alliances from there.

Without the party, she’s a soldier without weaponry. She will be doomed to the fate of Mr Rigathi Gachagua who claims he was ‘tricked with the Bible’ to join UDA only to be dissed. Instead of being a victim of unbridled ambition, she should have made Jubilee a serious factor in Mt Kenya.

Amid the gloating by Mr Gachagua and his DCP, this is the time the mountain needs sobriety lest it languishes in the cold for decades to come. Ms Njoroge should tell us: What if Mr Sifuna falls by the wayside? What if Linda Mwananchi is hot air? What would be her Plan B? Finally, if she wants to be Woman Rep, why is she not coming out boldly to stake her claim like Mama ‘Miradi’ Omanga?

I’ve long admired Ms Njoroge’s calm nature. Many others do, too. My friend Nzau Musau rarely misses an opportunity to share her posts and photos on Facebook. Even enigma Odinga worked with her and trusted her. She is highly adept at debunking misinformation online, which is really good as we head into 2027.

When she was blogging for Jubilee between 2013 and 2017, top ODM officials of the time like Mr Sifuna and Mr ‘Judas Iscariot’ dreaded her. Perhaps Baba’s jibe of ‘Who has told you?’ should today be directed at Ms Njoroge. Who told her to hurriedly cross the aisle when the stakes are so high?

As Saboti MP Caleb Amisi will tell you, Mr Sifuna’s camp is already crumbling because of egos. I’d love to hear why Ms Njoroge is betting on Linda Mwananchi and not UDA or ODM where her future would be certain. It’s like testing snake-infested waters with bare hands. She won’t be twice lucky. 

-The writer is a communications practitioner. X:@markoloo