Kenya’s youngest MP John Paul Mwirigi has defended himself against claims that he changed from being humble to arrogant after being elected to the August house.
His close associates said the Igembe South MP is no longer the same “man of the people” he was prior to his historic victory against political bigwigs in the constituency.
“You would call him, and he would rudely ask you what you want,” one of his friends said.
Speaking to Standard Digital, the youthful MP denied the claims, noting that his friends mistake his impatience for arrogance.
“About 98 per cent of my calls are people asking for money. I tell them if they invite me for events or projects, I will contribute, but I do not have handouts,” he said.
He cites the number of bursaries he has awarded, water projects and getting market for banana growers in his area as some of his achievements since his election.
Some residents have branded him “John Fall” and predicted his fall in the next elections after failing to ‘fulfill’ their expectations.
About two months ago, the MP is said to have assaulted a resident by grabbing him by the throat in Atheru market, Meru after a confrontation over a stalled road project.
However, Mwirigi says the story was a fabrication by his political rivals who are yet to come to terms that he became an MP at such an age. The 24-year-old says he has since opted to keep a low profile away from the media.
“I have come to distrust the media. They write malicious things about me, and that is why I have been keeping off,” he now says of his absence from publicity.
He trounced Rufus Miriti of Jubilee party by garnering 18,867 votes after running on an independent ticket.
