National Assembly Majority Leader and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah found himself in the hot seat during an interview on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head show, struggling to provide direct answers to pointed questions from host Mehdi Hasan.
One of the most striking moments of the interview came when Hasan pressed Ichung’wah on the implementation of campaign pledges made by President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration. “How many pledges have been implemented of the 280 promises?” Hasan asked. Instead of a direct response, Ichung’wah replied, “I will not give you a straight answer of two or ten,” prompting Hasan to remark that Ichung’wah was the first politician he had encountered who openly admitted to avoiding a straight answer.
According to Mzalendo, a Kenyan parliamentary monitoring organization, only 14 of the 280 pledges have been implemented. Ichung’wah dismissed this assessment, saying, “That is the perspective of Mzalendo.”
Hasan continued by listing unfulfilled promises, including free internet access, an inquiry into cronyism and state capture, and the ratification of the international convention on enforced disappearances. Ichung’wah insisted that some pledges, such as the ratification, were “work in progress.” He defended the administration, stating, “The manifesto is being implemented chapter after chapter. You cannot judge what was to be done in five years in just two years.”
Another contentious topic was corruption in Kenya. Ichung’wah boldly declared that he had never paid a bribe in his life. He recalled a personal anecdote, stating that at the age of 19, he was stopped for speeding but managed to talk his way out without resorting to bribery. “You never need to pay a bribe,” he asserted.
However, a guest at the Head to Head show challenged this perspective, recounting a visit to Kenya where she witnessed widespread bribery among traffic police officers. She noted that her uncle, a Kenyan driver, confirmed that such practices were commonplace. Ichung’wah responded by arguing that corruption requires both a willing giver and a taker, implying that motorists also contribute to the problem.
The interview underscored the challenges the Kenya Kwanza government faces in fulfilling its promises while also highlighting the persistent issue of corruption in the country. Ichung’wah’s reluctance to provide direct answers and his defense of the administration left many questions unanswered, raising further scrutiny on the government’s progress and integrity.
