A Machakos County minister faced a tumultuous reception on Saturday during a funeral ceremony that quickly turned hostile.
Rita Ndunge, the head of the Roads docket in Machakos County, attended the funeral of Erickson Kyalo Mutisya, a young man who lost his life during anti-government protests.
Mutisya, a native of Kisekini Village in the Thinu area, died while protesting against the Finance Bill, 2024, which has since been withdrawn.
Ndunge, representing Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s administration, was the most senior official present at the funeral. When the Master of Ceremony (MC) invited her to the stage to address the mourners and pay tribute to Mutisya, Ndunge hesitated.
Sensing the crowd’s hostility, she pleaded with the MC to skip her turn. However, the MC insisted, prompting Ndunge to reluctantly take the microphone.
“Justice for Mutisya,” she began, but her words were met with immediate heckling from the crowd.
The atmosphere grew tense as mourners shouted for her to leave the stage. Amid the uproar, a young member of Generation Z stormed onto the stage, forcefully grabbed the microphone from Ndunge, and continued to boo her along with the crowd.
Fearing for her safety, Ndunge swiftly descended from the stage and disappeared into the crowd. The MC attempted to calm the situation, saying, “I just wanted her to greet you,” but the crowd remained agitated.
This incident came just two days after Governor Wavinya Ndeti suggested that her political opponents might be sending young men to her office as part of a larger scheme.
The governor had also expressed her willingness to engage in dialogue with the youth of Machakos, acknowledging the challenges they face due to unemployment and a struggling economy.
“I am ready to dialogue with Machakos Gen Zs. I know many of them are jobless and the economy is not favorable,” Governor Ndeti had said earlier, indicating her openness to addressing the grievances of the younger generation.
The disruption at the funeral underscores the growing frustration among the youth in Machakos County, reflecting broader discontent with political leaders and economic conditions.
Ndunge’s encounter serves as a stark reminder of the volatile political climate and the urgent need for meaningful dialogue and solutions.
