In one of the worst optics in a tight campaign, former newsman Hussein Mohammed, Director of Communications for William Ruto’s campaign team, is making the news for the wrong reasons after a video emerged showing him pushing aside Pauline Waithera, better known as Mama Mboga (vegetables vendor) as she walked alongside Deputy President William Ruto on the way to the Presidential Debate.
Things were going on well before Mohammed appeared in the video, pushed Mama Mboga back in what appears to have been an effort to rearrange entourage and have Ruto and his wife, Rachel, walk along side each other.
Ruto glanced backwards as Mohammed made his move but did not say anything. Ruto’s wife, maneuvered around Mohammed to move next to her husband, and she took did not appear to take notice that woman may have been humiliated.
Some consider the moment a true reflection of the Ruto campaign that seems to use women and poor people to push an agenda, without giving them a position in the upper echelons of power dominated by men.
Others in the entourage included Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua who was walking behind Ruto, and did not appear to say anything.
While it’s unclear why Mohammed pushed Waithera, the video has gone viral online and caused an uproar on Twitter.
Azimio supporter and influencer Pauline Njoroge took a shot at Mohammed and Kenya Kwanza.
“After the Mama mboga photo op for PR purposes, Hussein pushed her aside,” Njoroge tweeted.
“You (Mama Mboga) aren’t needed anymore,” Carole chimed in.
Another looked forward to what a Ruto presidency would mean for Mama Mboga.
“In the unfortunate situation that Ruto wins, that’s how the mama mbogas will be treated. Ruto is smart in playing around with people’s minds. There is nothing like a mama mboga moment'” DerumTech said, referring to Ruto’s statement at the debate where he declared his presidency a Mama Mboga (the common citizen) moment.
The Ruto campaign has struggled to gain credibility with women every since former Prime Minister and Azimio la Umoja flagbrearer Raila Odinga chose NARC-Kenya Leader Martha Karua as his running mate. If elected, Karua would make history becoming the first woman elected to serve as Kenya’s Deputy President.
Neither Mohammed nor the Ruto campaign have not commented about the video or posted an apology to Mama Mboga about the incident.
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