Former Governor’s wife operating a grocery shop at Kinamba town centre

Is a former county First Lady broke? This is the question on the lips of most of Laikipia West constituents every time they see her at a grocery shop.

Grace Wakahora is the wife to former governor Joshua Irungu who lost the Laikipia governor’s seat to Nderitu Mureithi who is also a nephew to former President Mwai Kibaki.

After he failed to recapture the seat, president Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him as chairperson of the Water Services Regulatory Board.

It’s not clear whether he will contest for the seat in the 2022 gubernatorial race. Already, the race seems hot as four hopefuls have shown interest.

Newsline Digital has established that a majority of politicians’ spouses within Mount Kenya region prefer to lead a humble life and shun away from the limelight.

Shockingly, wives of the politicians are always kept away from the limelight and they only appear during campaign period.

A reliable source has revealed that this is what Wakahora is doing now – enjoying a lowkey lifestyle that locals are used to.

The source intimated that the former county First Lady is operating a grocery shop at Kinamba town centre, just some kilometres from Karandi, Mwenje, Tandare, Olmoran and Sopili town centres.

The tarmacking of Kinamba-Rumuruti Road by the national government brought joy among residents and breathed some life into the sleepy town that has a population of about 3000 residents.

Initially, it was a dusty town Centre that couldn’t attract any serious investor as the level of insecurity was very high.

“Whenever you are in Kinamba town Centre, just ask anyone the grocery that belongs to former governor wife, you will be directed there, she is very humble. This isn’t the first time she is engaged in that kind of business as even when her husband was governor, she could still operate funny businesses,” the source said.

He added that Wakahora easily mingles with locals adding that even when she was the county’s First Lady, she was rarely accompanied by security officers and was seen engaging freely with the common mwananchi.

“Even when Joshua (Irungu) was governor, you could still find Grace (Wakahora) selling, eggs, Lemons, cereals and bananas from her farm,” Opera News was told.

It is not a new thing to hear of politicians or their spouses going broke.

Recently, Rarieda Member of parliament Otiende Amolo disclosed that he had gone broke after he was elected into office.

He said that he had not done anything significant for his family since he was elected MP explaining that he spends a lot on his constituents’ expectations.

“I have been the Ombudsman and I have been in public practice. I have never been broke like I am now as an MP,” he remarked, adding that he earns only KSh500,000 despite not taking a mortgage.

He further said he is aware of politicians who are very broke and their families are suffering.

“I’m sure there are some of my colleagues who have taken loans and their payslips read zero,” he explained.

Also, Kiambu senator Kimani Wamatangi recently disclosed that he takes home only KSh640 after deductions and yet the electorate need his help.

“The loans MPs take are deducted from their salaries. My payslip now reads Sh640 after deductions,” he said.

Previously, Opera News reported how former Maragua MP Kamande Wambuku is operating a wines and spirit shop in Makuyu sub-location, Punda Milia village.

The former MP is said to be living a normal life after he failed to recapture his parliamentary seat in 2017.

He has since joined Amani National Congress (ANC) as its Murang’a County chairman to revive his political career that seems to be dying.

It’s also reported in the media that, Maragua MP Mary Wamaua’s husband is a mechanic at Saba Saba town within the county.

The husband has been running the small business to supplement the family’s income.

A few months ago, the late Matungu MP Justus Murunga was all over social media after his family was said to be languishing in poverty after he had neglected them.

Murunga had abandoned his family in Utawala, an estate on the outskirts of Nairobi.

It is said that before relocating to their unfinished house in Utawala, his family was staying in a mabati house in Umoja estate for four years upto 2005.