In the run-up to last year's general elections, Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu was nicknamed by his rival William Kabogo's supporters as 'Wakahare' (squirrel).
Waititu embraced the name positively and used it to his advantage where it indeed worked. At one point, the name became so popular almost replacing the Babayao moniker.
However, which is of the essence to note today is how Waititu is living up to his 'Wakahare' nickname 11 months after he was elected into office.
A squirrel is defined by the Oxford dictionary as an agile tree dwelling rodent with a bushy tail, typically feeding on nuts and seeds. Squirrel can also be a verb meaning to hide money or something of value in a safe place. Making sense? Hold on.
In the traditional Kikuyu folklore where the squirrel appears severally, it is symbolically used to depict someone who seeks fame, unworthy of being a leader or one who steals other people's food (wealth). Let's tackle each at a time.
Governor Waititu is known to be a person whose appetite for fame is unmatched. He is a populist leader who can do anything, however, ridiculous it can turn out to be as long as it is popular with the masses.
For instance, in his quest for quick fame, he is said to have poorly planned and executed the war on illicit brews in the county which critics have termed as a 'fail'. He reportedly did not consult widely leading the exercise to boomerang on his face.
Waititu is also known to jump across counties especially where there are presidential functions, leaving residents asking whether he has no work to do for Kiambu electorates. Many say he only goes there to be seen together with the President. Laughable! The squirrel is said to have died looking for such fame.
Secondly, while I won't say that the governor is not worthy of being a leader, some of the things he has done in the recent past do not depict leadership. For instance, his fight and sometimes unwarranted utterances about his deputy, James Nyoro, do not portray him well.
As the head of the county, he is expected to demonstrate leadership in all matters without excuse.
It can also be remembered how he angered many Kiambu voters who have since vowed to teach him a lesson in 2022, when he said he wasn't elected by 'drunkards'. Such reckless utterances are not to be expected from a leader of Waititu's calibre bearing in mind he serves diverse strata of the society.
Finally, while again not saying that the governor is a thief, rumours have been flying left, right and centre that the governor could be under investigation for apparently misappropriating county funds.
Some of these 'misappropriated' funds are said to have been set aside to facilitate the fight against illicit brews. How true it is, time will tell.
He is also being accused of nepotism with reports claiming that he could have given multi-million shillings county tenders to close family members.
In short, we can conclude that Waititu is more of a 'Wakahare' than 'Babayao'.
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