Flashback: Homa Bay woman whose video went viral for taking on Chebukati

Mary Abich speaks at her home in Homa Bay town. She was a little known woman but she gained fame after repeat presidential election in 2017. [James Omoro, Standard]

Three years ago, Mary Abich was just an ordinary rural woman from Homa Bay County. That was until she got her 15 seconds of fame on television. 

It all started when the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was ordered to repeat the presidential poll. The Supreme Court made a landmark ruling on September 1, 2017 nullifying President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election.

In the ruling, the court found the IEBC had committed various illegalities that had affected the integrity of the polls. Kenyans had to vote for a president again. The date was set for Thursday, October 26, 2017.

However, voting did not happen in 25 constituencies in Homa Bay, Siaya, Migori, and Kisumu where opposition supporters barred IEBC officials from delivering voting material. For those constituencies, the IEBC rescheduled the voting and moved it to Saturday, October 28, 2017.

Kesho ni Sabato ya Mungu! No repeat election! Homa Bay resident tells Chebukati #Kivumbi2017 pic.twitter.com/a5hB1KHDkw

— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) October 27, 2017

15 seconds of fame

Following the announcement, Mary Abich took great offence. She took on the IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati on camera when journalists went on the ground to interview residents of Homa Bay.

“Siku hiyo ni siku ya Mungu. Chebukati tafadhali siku hiyo ni siku ya Mungu. Hapana jaribu Mungu. Nakataa!” (That {voting day} is a Sabbath day. Do not dare God. I refuse!) she said.

Her hilarious tone and body language grabbed the attention of many people who watched her on television. The video went viral on the interweb and it was shared on WhatsApp groups and converted into GIFS and memes.

Standard Digital spoke to Abich, a 64-year-old widow and mother of six.

She says she was very upset because the IEBC had set fixed the new voting day on a Saturday - a day meant for worshipping; adding that participating in the election on a Saturday was equal to disobeying God.

Abich, a Seventh Day Adventist still insists that the election should have been held any other day but not Saturday. “I felt confusion would arise if people participated in political activity on a Sabbath day,” she says.

High cost of living

When we caught up with Abich, her concern now is about the high cost of living affecting many Kenyans. She blames the rising cases of suicide to economic hardship.

“Uhuru save the country. Many people are committing suicide due to the high taxation imposed on Kenyans with low income,” Abich quips.

She accuses government officials of engaging in business that directly competes with businesses in the informal sector. “Life continues to become harder for the common man because everybody is doing business including those who are employed in the formal sector. This trend interferes with income of those who are in the informal sector,” she adds.

Abich still maintains her humorous expressions. She says people mistake her expressiveness for mental illness. But she maintains that she will never shy from speaking about matters of public interest.

“I know some people laugh at me whenever I speak about these matters but I will never stop because they are of public interest,” she says.

Abich, a fishmonger at Pier beach in Homa Bay town has struggled to bring up her six children following the death of her husband Abich Ogingo. However, she is happy that her views have made her and Homa Bay County famous.