Walimtumia sana! Githeri man's wife details tribulations 5 years on

Life has remained the same for Githeri man despite pledges to help

• Githeri man said his life has been hard since he went viral 5 years ago.

• His family continues to wallow in poverty. 

Githeri man stands in voters line
githeri man 2017 election Githeri man stands in voters line

Martin Kamotho aka Githeri Man went viral back in 2017, while queuing to cast his vote. The man became famous for eating githeri in the voting line during the August 2017 General Elections.

His plight was highlighted after the big day. That was five years ago. Fame faded fast, and little about his life changed.  

In an interview with TUKO, the man's wife is now pleading for help to build a home after being gifted a piece of land in the Ng'ong Kibiko area.

"Tuko tu pahali tulikua, tulipewa shamba hata nguo aliambiwa atapewa, hakumaliziwa, lakini bado tunapenda serikali. Shamba tulipewa na hatujajenga, tukijengewa naweza kufurahia. Ama msichana wangu aandikwe tu kazi," she said.

The wife further disclosed that she believes he was taken advantage of by people coz of his quick fame.

"Hio wakati mwingine alichezewa sana na watu alikua anaenda nao. Walimtumia sana," she added. 

Martin himself had also delivered the same message, telling YouTuber Vincent Mboya a few weeks ago that many falsely believed his life was elevated since the 2017 general election.

Githeri man election 2017
Githeri man holds food Githeri man election 2017

He said that life has not been easy.

My life is not okay, I can’t hide it. I just live life as it comes and I stay in the ghetto…If someone is touched to help me I will really appreciate it. I would really love to be removed from the ghetto, this life is not good. Wherever God wants me to go it's fine as long as I’m out of the ghetto. You know that I am a celebrity, can you imagine a whole celebrity living in this state?” he said.

Among the awards Githeri Man received after 2017, was a Head of State Commendation during the Jamhuri day celebrations in 2017  plus an sh100k cash award.

He has always thought he would meet President Uhuru again, something that still hasn't happened.

“From the time I left State House in 2017 we have never communicated again. I always hope one day we will meet and talk so that I tell him my problems because I can’t say that I don’t have problems. Uhuru Kenyatta is my friend. Now that he is almost done with his term, I only pray that he remembers Githeri man wherever he will go,”  he remarked.

The financial help or any form of assistance pledged to him has not been forthcoming

“This is where I’ve lived for more than a decade. Many people think I’m rich. In fact, it makes me sad when they call me Githeri Man, thinking I am a millionaire. I have nothing. The people around here know me - they know ‘sina kitu’. Otherwise ‘wangekuwa wananipiga ngeta kila siku,” he said.

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