- Wavinya Ndeti trended on social media after a viral video captured her awkward exchange with Raila Odinga’s widow, Ida
- She responded to the criticism from the incident in a fiery social media post, explaining how public feedback has shaped her as a leader
- Wavinya also shared photos showing her engaging warmly with Ida and, in another post, took a calculated jab at her critics
Machakos governor Wavinya Ndeti has been a trending topic recently, and this time, it’s not about politics or unpaid dues.
Source: Facebook
The governor recently accompanied Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to Opoda Farm, the home of the late former prime minister Raila Odinga, to comfort the family and pay their last respects.
What happened between Ida and Wavinya?
During the visit, cameras captured a tense exchange between Wavinya and Ida Odinga.
In the viral clip, Wavinya walked up to Ida to offer a comforting hug, but she looked distracted, turning away mid-embrace and giving instructions to those around her instead of reciprocating.
Ida was then seen gently moving Wavinya’s hand away from her waist, leaving the county boss visibly embarrassed.
However, it is worth noting that the incident did not seem to be deliberate as the pair have no known differences.
What did Wavinya say about Ida Odinga’s hug?
Wavinya finally addressed the incident in a fiery social media post that seemed to mix gratitude with subtle humour:
“You Kenyans never cease to amaze me! I didn’t realise I could attract so much attention and support from Kenyans.”
She continued:
“Your constant involvement, engagement, and constructive criticism have played a huge role in shaping who I am today. From ‘Yaliyo ndwele sipite’ to ‘Wavinya kuhug cha Vinya’… Because of you, our work in transformative governance and community-driven development is now being recognised across the African continent.”
Her remarks, referencing her previous viral moment from years back, sparked another wave of reactions from netizens.
What did Wavinya tell her critics?
In what appeared to be a cheeky response to the ongoing debate, Wavinya later shared a photo hugging a young girl, captioning it:
“Ati hug imefanya nini?”
She followed it with another Swahili proverb that seemed to carry a message to her critics:
“Hasira ya mkizi furaha ya mvuvi.”
Wavinya also shared unseen photos from her visit to Opoda Farm showing her presenting gifts to Ida, suggesting that the viral clip captured only part of their interaction.
See the post below:
Netizens react to Wavinya’s response
Her witty comeback drew mixed reactions on social media. Here are some of the comments:
Benard Tungah:
“If a hug was to make you to enter heaven …then it would have worried you….keep firm and push on to deliver services to machakos people.”
Martin Munene:
“If kuforce issue was a person could be wavinya.”
David Kavili Ndundu:
“Wavinya means doing things by force?”
Hon Dave Mutinda:
“Mama,when they throw stones,use them to build Masaku a strong foundation cha-vinya.”
Purity:
“Next time don’t just go hugging pple without your attention…she was addressing other people and she wondered who gonna be this hugging me, otherwise good job.”
Source: Facebook
What happened between Wavinya and Sammy Kioko?
In yet another recent incident that thrust Wavinya into the spotlight, former Churchill Show comedian Sammy Kioko recently camped outside her office, demanding payment for a county tender he claimed to have supplied.
Kioko alleged that the county government had delayed paying him for nearly two years, alleging the amount owed totalled about KSh 19 million.
However, the county’s procurement department acknowledged the existence of the tender in question but clarified that Kioko was not listed among its registered shareholders.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
