Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has accused comedian and activist Eric Omondi of orchestrating the “Wantam” chants that disrupted her speech during Natalie Githinji’s Endometriosis Warriors event at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
Nyamu made the allegation on Monday, a day after sections of the crowd repeatedly chanted “Wantam” as she took the stage at the endometriosis awareness event.
In a post on X, Nyamu said she believed Omondi planned the heckling and alleged that he and the event’s MC, Antonio, instructed people at the back of the venue to chant when she began speaking.
“I believe Eric Omondi planned what happened when I took the stage. I’m told he and Antonio, the MC, instructed people at the back to chant when I spoke,” Nyamu said.
She added that she had noticed Omondi and Antonio making several trips to the back of the venue before she addressed the gathering.
Nyamu also appeared to interpret Omondi’s introduction of her as an indication that a confrontation was coming.
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“Then he introduced me by saying, ‘Mimi na yeye hatusikizani kisiasa.’ To me, that was the cue,” she said.
The allegation comes a day after Nyamu dismissed the chants while addressing the crowd, saying she was not bothered by the reaction. She said she had expected some heckling because of Omondi’s public criticism of the government.
“I was kind of expecting it because hii event ni ya Eric Omondi and I’ve seen Eric Omondi has been in the forefront kufight government,” Nyamu said.
Nyamu said she attended the event to speak about endometriosis, expressing frustration that the political confrontation had overshadowed Githinji’s advocacy work.
“Yesterday was supposed to be about Natalie and Endo awareness. I wish she was trending today instead of me,” she said.
“The subject was endometriosis, yet somehow the take home for the high budget event became Karen Nyamu wa Tutam.”
Nyamu also linked the incident to an earlier dispute involving Omondi and the late Gengetone artiste Shalkido.
She claimed Shalkido had previously asked her for a motorbike, which she provided, before Omondi later gave him another bike. Nyamu alleged that Shalkido subsequently appeared on Obinna’s show and accused her of “playing him” while using the “Wantam” slogan.
“I believe Eric saw and didn’t want a Tutam person getting any credit,” Nyamu said.
Nyamu provided no independent evidence in her post to substantiate her claim that Omondi and the MC instructed people to heckle her.
She nevertheless maintained her support for President William Ruto, saying she would not be swayed by the “Wantam” chants.
“I won’t join Wantam for a few cheap cheers,” she said.
Omondi had not publicly responded to the allegations by the time of publication.