Janet Mbugua criticises politicians for taking over social awareness events

Janet Mbugua has criticised the tendency of politicians to dominate conversations at events intended to highlight important social issues.

Janet made the remarks on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, following controversy surrounding nominated Senator Karen Nyamu’s appearance at Natalie Githinji’s Endometriosis Warriors awareness event at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

She praised Natalie for using her personal experience with endometriosis to educate the public about the condition but argued that the focus shifted when Nyamu took the microphone.

“Politicians, stop making awareness events about you,” Janet said.

Her comments came days after Nyamu was heckled with repeated “Wantam” chants while addressing thousands of people at the September 27 event.

Janet says Natalie’s story should remain central

Janet praised Natalie for turning her personal experience with endometriosis into an opportunity to educate Kenyans about the condition and the challenges faced by women living with it.

She said Natalie’s story had helped open a wider conversation about endometriosis and given the public an opportunity to better understand the condition.

“Natalie Githinji is the example of what politicians could never be. She used her own story as the door and walked the whole country through it to endometriosis,” Janet said.

She then compared what happened at the KICC event with the way political figures sometimes become the focus of events that are meant to centre on other issues.

“Then a senator took the mic, and the story became the senator, similar to how MPs are turning funerals into campaign stages too,” she said.

Karen Nyamu heckled at KICC

Nyamu attended the Endometriosis Warriors event and addressed the audience about the condition and her work in Parliament.

However, sections of the crowd interrupted her speech with repeated “Wantam” chants, making it difficult for her to continue.

Nyamu later said she had anticipated the reaction, partly because comedian and activist Eric Omondi was involved in organising the event and has publicly criticised the government.

She maintained that her decision to attend was motivated by her interest in endometriosis and her efforts to address the issue through Parliament.

“I had a choice to come or not to come. And for me, I cannot stop coming because there will be ‘One Term’ chants,” Nyamu said.

Eric Omondi questions Nyamu’s attendance

The incident also prompted criticism from Eric Omondi, who questioned Nyamu’s decision to attend the event.

Omondi said organisers had agreed that politicians would not attend because they wanted the gathering to remain focused on Natalie and the endometriosis awareness campaign.

According to Omondi, Nyamu had contacted him before the event about supporting Natalie and later sent her KSh100,000, but did not inform him that she intended to attend the gathering.

Omondi said organisers had specifically agreed to keep politicians away from the event to prevent the conversation from shifting towards politics.

He also questioned why Nyamu could not allow Natalie to remain at the centre of an event dedicated to her advocacy work.