Former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu has spoken out about her absence from the two-week Azimio la Umoja anti-government protests across the country.

Ngilu joked during the burial of prominent Machakos businessman Pius Musembi on Tuesday that she chose to stay behind the scenes and allow the "young ones" to participate in the "teargas experience."

She also stated that she was teargassed during the late President Daniel Moi's reign in the early 1990s.  

"I know one of your leaders said they couldn't see Kaluki." And, while you can't see me, I'm not far away. "And I'd like to point out that those who say it wamekunywa teargas just the other day," she remarked.


"Mimi nimekunywa teargas tango jameni 1992" (I have been teargassed since 1992). "Wakanywe teargas pia kidogo si hata these young ones."

Aside from the witticism, Ngilu praised people in the vanguard of the protests, urging them to continue their vigorous march until their objectives were met.

"However, we are keeping an eye on you. You must continue because, honestly, the fact is that we had a really good agenda for Azimio, and we said everything we were going to do," Ngilu added.

"However, the others also stated that as soon as they took an oath with the Bible, the price of Unga would be reduced by Ksh.70." We waited, but nothing happened," she added.


"So I think you're right, and even these conversations, let them be transparent; we know what you're talking about because we want to save the country."

In retrospect, Ngilu believes Kenya should return to its glory days when government processes worked for all Kenyans.

"I was in that government; Raila (Azimio's leader) was in that government. That is when we saw a Kenya that everyone was proud of, so we must continue pushing for a beneficial and good Kenya.

Ngilu, the Narc party's head, is one of the Azimio coalition's members, along with Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc-Kenya's Martha Karua, and KANU's Gideon Moi.