Martin Kamotho Njenga has managed to lower the tension amongst in Kenyan as results of the presidential elections continue. The 41-year-old father of one who works as a sweeper at the Nairobi City County office in Dandora went viral on Tuesday, August 8 after his picture first hit social media and Kenyans were excited at the prospect of comic relief. He queued patiently, waiting for his turn to vote at the Imara Primary School polling station in Kayole when suddenly, hunger struck and he emerged moments later with a polythene bag of githeri which he started eating quietly minding his business as he stretched his neck to check how long the queue was.
Unbeknown to him a fellow voter, Ian Kinuthia was thrilled enough to capture the humorous scenario and shared it on Facebook and within hours, Mr. Kamotho, now known as “githeri man” was famous.
He was not aware how famous and popular he was until the media showed up, shoving cameras in his face, shooting questions and thrusting him on live television. He was doing his job of sweeping and slashing grass in Dandora on Thursday morning when residents of Kayole stopped to take pictures of him with their mobile phones and was later perched out of the sunroof in the car that led a convoy to his polling station at Imara Primary School in Kayole where it all began. Dressed in the same clothes from the viral picture; a frayed black and white shirt, an oversize jacket and matching trousers, he wiped his sweaty brow and readied himself for an interview with his legendary githeri clutched in his left hand.
Mr. Kamotho explained in the interview that carrying his githeri to the queue seemed the best option as there were no hotels open at that time to sell the usual tea and mandazi and he did not want anyone to take his position in the queue. After the interview, Mr. Kamotho hurtled away from the prying media and curious public and quickly shoved into the back left of a waiting Toyota Mark X.
He is now a local celebrity in his home area in Kayole’s Thawabu estate and even local companies challenged Kenyans on social media to find the githeri man for a prize. Safaricom has gifted Kenya’s newest celebrity Martin Kamotho the Githeri man with goodies worth thousands of shillings.
He has been gifted with a Samsung S8 phone in town valued at Sh90,000. with a similar gadget, while another to his wife and Tecno Canon phone worth Sh50,000 was gifted to his son by the same firm.
Wellwishers have now pledged including Chris kirwa who posted on his Instagram account
"Dear Kenyans - Now that #GitheriMan is trending ... thanks to all of us posting him .... can we locate him and find out his life situation and see if we can make a difference by celebrating him and his family? He is uncelebrated Hero Right now.
Daniel "Churchill" Ndambuki aka Mwalimu King'ang'i is looking for him to feature him on Churchill Show
Thomas BigTed Kwaka can we find a way to make his life even better 😀. I am ready to contribute. Him carrying his Githeri (Snack) meant he had planned to survive and vote no matter what for a better Kenya
Simon Kabu can we organize a holiday for him? Who else is ready to make him smile too they way he has made us smile?
He has united Kenyans across the political divide and brought a sense of humor during the tense Election Period, Can we celebrate him ...."
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