This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's order to procure 500 hospital beds from Mungai Gathogo and Joseph Muhinja on July 15, 2020, has shed light on the youthful innovators' past. Gathogo, 26, had vied for the Kiambu senatorial seat in the 2017 elections but dropped out at the primaries.
Speaking to a local publication on July 16, 2020, Gathogo confirmed his involvement in the 2017 elections, stating, 'Yes, it's true I vied for the senatorial seat in 2017 but I did not make it to the ballot. As a youth, I was trying it out and things didn’t go well for me, I dropped out at the primaries.'
Before venturing into the hospital bed business, Gathogo had been selling sanitisers and face masks. He revealed that he started his business over three weeks ago and initially faced challenges due to the early stages of his venture.
When asked about the possibility of his political interests influencing the tender, Gathogo denied any connection, stating, 'My political interests had nothing to do with the tender I was given. Because I had not invited anybody here, of course, I like politics and I am a supporter of Deputy President William Ruto, I even didn’t know the head of the PDU until yesterday.'
