This archive report was first published on 18 October 2019.
Joseph Ndung'u, a former Ichagaki Ward Representative in Murang'a, was once a man of means and power. However, his fortunes took a drastic turn after he lost his seat in the 2017 elections.
Published on October 18, 2019, in the Nation, Ndung'u revealed that he fell into depression after spending Sh1.2 million on campaigns, leaving him with nothing but a parcel of land and an unfinished building.
He had sold his electronics shop in Nairobi's Luthuli Avenue to venture into politics in 2013 and often assisted residents of his ward financially, but was left with nothing at the end of his term.
Ndung'u's wife and father played a crucial role in helping him overcome depression, with his father advising him to find work away from Murang'a to avoid ridicule and humiliation from the public.
‘I felt as if it was the end of the world. I had used Sh1.2 million for campaigns, sold my electronics shop in Maragua Town, and my only wealth was an undeveloped plot,' Ndung'u said in an exclusive interview.
He eventually found employment as a storekeeper in Nairobi, thanks to one of his former colleagues, and later applied for a driver's job at the county assembly after seeing an advert in the newspaper.
Ndung'u believes that working as a driver will be a good start for the next chapter of his life, despite the ridicule he may face from the public.
