Gathoni Wamuchomba Slams President Ruto’s Nine-Helicopter Visit Over Finance Bill Dispute
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has reignited criticism of President William Ruto’s leadership style, recounting an incident in which the head of state allegedly traveled with a fleet of nine helicopters to her constituency to reprimand her for opposing the Finance Bill 2023.
Speaking during an interview on Monday, July 15, 2025, Wamuchomba described the presidential visit as an extravagant and unnecessary show of force, especially given the short distance from Nairobi’s CBD to Githunguri.
“It’s a 12-minute drive when there’s no traffic,” she said. “Yet the president showed up with nine helicopters—and you’re telling us about austerity? That’s what you call listening?”
“He Came to Lecture, Not to Listen”
According to Wamuchomba, the president’s true intention was not to engage with the public, but to publicly chastise her over her rejection of the government’s controversial affordable housing plan.
“The president stood on the podium, with his hands in his pockets, and called me a hypocrite. He said, ‘You can’t oppose affordable housing while living in a mortgage-financed house,’” she recounted.
“That wasn’t a dialogue. That was a lecture.”
She accused the president of using the platform to undermine dissenting voices, particularly hers, adding,
“He came to lecture one woman—Gathoni Wamuchomba. Is that what you call leadership?”
A Response to MP Maryanne Keitanny
Wamuchomba’s remarks were made in direct response to Aldai MP Maryanne Keitanny, who had previously defended the president’s travel expenses, suggesting his grassroots visits justify an increase in his travel budget.
“We must appreciate that the president is a symbol of national unity,” Keitanny said in May. “If he needs to travel to listen to citizens, then we should support that.”
However, Wamuchomba pushed back against that view, arguing that true listening does not require extravagant displays or public rebukes.
“Maryanne knows the president doesn’t come to listen. He comes to lecture. And if that’s what we’re funding—then it’s not about the people. It’s about silencing critics.”
Ongoing Tensions Within the Ruling Coalition
The fiery exchange underscores the growing friction within the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, especially as more legislators challenge government policies on taxation, housing, and budget priorities.
Wamuchomba has been among the most vocal MPs opposing the Finance Bill and pushing back against what she describes as punitive economic measures on ordinary Kenyans.
Her latest comments add to the broader public debate on government spending, presidential accountability, and the freedom of MPs to represent their constituents without intimidation.
As the country heads toward the 2027 general election, such internal dissent may signal deeper cracks within the political alliance that swept President Ruto into office.
