Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi alias Sonko is no new to controversy, far from it. He thrives in such; he relishes the opportunity to be on the news for both the wrong and right reasons.
If he is not somewhere in the slums fighting for the common mwananchi whose houses are being brought down by the notorious city land grabbers, he is on the streets meeting those who elected him.
For different reasons, the senator is a darling to many within and without the capital. Many view him as the one person who feels what ‘wanjiku’ is going through in their day to day lives.
It’s therefore no brainer that it became such a big deal when news broke that he might be locked out of the contest for Nairobi’s top seat because of his academic qualifications.
The former Makadara MP is a strong critic of the opposition and a strong defender of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his government.
Many might point at his lose tongue as his greatest undoing, (he is not as bad as Moses Kuria though), but all those aside, he is a darling to many.
What makes Sonko this popular?
One, he has been able to walk the talk. He promised to defend the common mwananchi, to take care of the many youths languishing in poverty due to unemployment.
He has been able to help hundreds of youths start and successfully run their business; he has come to the rescue of many destitute mothers in slums and other areas. That’s what sets Sonko up there.
Love him, hate him, the guy has done his best. He might not have the right academic qualifications; he might not possess the acumen of the current Nairobi governor, but his guile is enough to run the city, run the county.
Let no one lie to you that he is unqualified. We have qualified people in different posts in the counter leaderships and even government offices but their development records are wanting.
People will only remember you as a leader if you touch their lives in a way that impacts them directly.
During his live interview on Citizen TV on Sunday was explosive. He lost self-control and let anger drive him. Few of his words made sense. But he has proved that he can lead, he can take interests of the local mwananchi as his own, and what matters than that?
Leaders are born; it does not need a degree to be a leader. It only needs strong leadership conviction to exercise the mandate given to you.