Slip of the Tongue: Laughter as Kihika drops ‘Wamunyoro’ in Madaraka Day speech

 A moment of comic relief lightened the mood at Nakuru’s Madaraka Day celebrations when Governor Susan Kihika, a staunch ally of President William Ruto, momentarily veered off script, quite literally, by mistakenly mentioning “Wamunyoro” instead of “Wanyororo” during her address.

While highlighting her county’s development milestones, Governor Kihika drew chuckles from the crowd when she said, “Construction of two lecture rooms at Wamunyoro… Wanyororo,” catching herself mid-sentence.

She paused, let out a laugh, and made the correction: “Wanyororo. At Wanyororo Training Centre, including fencing.”

But the crowd, clearly amused, wasn’t letting it go that easily.

Murmurs and laughter rippled through the audience, prompting the governor to break from her speech and assure them, in Kiswahili, “Hapana, niko kwa Ruto siku zote,” loosely translated as “No, I’m with Ruto, always.”

The crowd roared again when, half-jokingly, she turned the blame to her speechwriter, quipping: “By the way, my writer of this speech is fired,” before briskly continuing with her speech.

The moment might have passed as a harmless slip if not for the location in question.

“Wamunyoro” is not just any random village. It’s the rural home of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, now a fierce critic of President Ruto after falling out with the administration.

Gachagua, who hails from Nyeri County, has turned Wamunyoro into his de facto political headquarters, where he frequently hosts allies as he eyes the 2027 general election.

Governor Kihika’s accidental mention of Gachagua’s political base, in a county far from her own, was therefore loaded with unintended irony, given her vocal support for Ruto’s administration.

Wanyororo, on the other hand, is firmly within her Nakuru County jurisdiction.

While Kihika took the moment in stride, the brief lapse became an instant talking point, not just for the humour but for the political undertone it unintentionally carried.

Still, the crowd seemed to appreciate the governor’s light-hearted recovery.

Wamunyoro is the home of deposed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

It has become the centre of his activities since he was impeached. It is where he holds key political meetings with his new allies as they plan for the next general elections in 2027.

The village, once little known about, is now famously known in relation to Gachagua’s political activities.