MP Betty Maina knows only truest of leaders reckon when to exit the stage

Murang’a County Woman Rep Betty Maina. [Courtesy]

MP Betty Maina knows only truest of leaders reckon when to exit the stage

Murang’a County Woman Rep Betty Maina, is a garrulous and rambunctious politician, so it was rather surprising to see her demure before a small gathering in her county to deliver an even more surprising message: She was there to thank her constituents and bid them farewell.

It is extremely rare for a politician to meet the electorate and ask nothing of them—especially now, when politicians of all shades are going all out to canvass for votes. Betty said she’d not defend her seat, and for a very good reason: She said she was aware the ground has shifted.

That kind of admission is even rarer; seldom do politicians listen to what the ground is saying, if you know what I mean, and take what they hear seriously. Their inflated egos persuade them to ignore the “noise” and press on, where they suffer further humiliation.

I hear Betty is considering running for governor. To comprehend what’s going on here, it might be helpful to listen to Betty herself.

“Since the Ol Kalou by-election, I don’t allow myself to be misled. I usually tell people that I know how the ground is. I have never seen such deceptive people; but I will not judge them. I have never seen what I saw. We first gave them rice and beans,” she reportedly said on Monday.

A brief context about beans and rice. These were some of the goodies that Betty admitted to offering voters in Ol-Kalou during a recent by-election. She and her spouse, the Mathira MP Eric Wa Mumbi, were campaigning for the ruling coalition, UDA. They were given a humiliating thumping by the Opposition party DCP, fronted by former DP Rigathi Gachagua aka Riggy G.

Riggy G was the “chief dowry negotiator” during Betty’s traditional wedding to Wa Mumbi. Their falling out was complete when Wa Mumbi endorsed Riggy G’s impeachment two years ago. Riggy G has urged voters to send the couple home, come next year’s polls. Put simply, the relationship between the trio is complicated.

I would urge Betty not to give up, not without a fight anyway, and a good place to start is to run for MCA’s seat. She has two places to pick from, Murang’a or Mathira. Surely, one should work.