Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama has denied insulting Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru during a teachers’ solidarity rally at Uhuru Park last month by describing her as “honey coated with a sugar icing.”
Muthama said there was nothing wrong with how he described Waiguru and if anything, she should be proud of it.
During the rally at Uhuru Park, Muthama ruffled Jubilee feathers when he posed: “Huyu Waiguru...kwani ni asali na ikaongezwa sukari?” (Is this Waiguru honey coated with sugar?) which saw Jubilee allied leaders go on a warpath calling for Muthama’s arrest while women leaders from Central threatened to strip naked.
Speaking at Mwaani Chatholic Church in Wote, Makueni County at the weekend, Muthama said in Kikamba if one is described as Uki (honey) it showed she is the most beloved person around.
“I only asked whether Waiguru is honey with sugar added to it. When given the name ‘Honey’ it shows you are the most beloved person. If Waiguru didn’t want to be called ‘Honey’ she should have told me mimi ni kama pilipili (I am like pepper) and don’t want to be referred to as honey,” explained Muthama to the amusement of the worshipers.
Muthama said those crusading for his prosecution had misinterpreted his “innocent” words, and wondered whether his only crime was to say huge amounts of money had been lost under Waiguru’s watch at her ministry.
The senator said his detractors who are pushing for his prosecution for allegedly inciting violence had also misinterpreted his other words during the Cord rally that “Kama waalimu hawatalipwa wiki ijayo, hakuna mtu ataenda kazi. Yule ataenda kazi atakula mawe”
“They want to say ‘yule ataenda kazi atakula mawe (they will eat stones) to mean ‘atapigwa mawe’ (they will be stoned) but there is a big difference.
“If you work for little pay that can’t cater for your basic needs such as food, what can you cook for your children? Maybe stones, that’s all I meant.”
Nairobian