Nairobi News

Roots Party running mate Justina Wangui Wamae has said she is a Presbyterian faithful though she promotes the bhang industry with presidential hopeful George Wajackoyah.

She said clerics opposed to the Roots Party’s ganja gospel are hypocrites, saying “there are many believers working in the sin industry for the money in it without corrupting their faith”.

She said work is about money earned and not about faith safeguarded.

Appearing on Gichichio TV on Thursday, she said: “I am religious, inclined to Christianity, a responsible wife and a mother to a three-year-old daughter.

She named Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition presidential aspirant Raila Odinga and nominated Senator Beth Mugo as her political role models.

In a move likely to attract the interest of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), she said she is true to her faith’s mission statement.

The PCEA was founded in 1889 by Scottish missionaries and reached Kenya in 1892. The pioneer communities in it were the Kamba, Maasai and Agikuyu. The first temporary church of the faith was established in Kibwezi.

The PCEA’s mission statement reads: “Believing that we are entrusted with a Ministry not only to the souls of men, but also their bodies and minds, and following the example of its master (Jesus Christ), who went about doing good.”

It continues: “The Church claims the right, as it shall see fit, to undertake educational, medical or charitable work for the benefit of all who desire its help; and declares its willingness to co-operate with governmental and other agencies in promoting the mental, physical and moral welfare of the whole community.”

Prof Wajackoyah, among four candidates cleared by the electoral agency to run for President, has pledged to promote the growing and commercial use of bhang if elected.

Ms Wangui said growing bhang will help the economy by sparking cottage industries in bricks, plastics and paper, textiles, furniture, cosmetics, automobile headlights and bodyworks industries.

She said bhang farmers would be paid instantly upon recording the weight of delivered harvests.

“It will be cash on delivery, not delivering and waiting for pay as is for tea, coffee and dairy sectors,” he said.

Ms Wangui said supporting industrial use of bhang does not dilute her faith because “after all, we are comfortable living a lie that bhang does not exist in our economy.”

She said police officers appear to be up-to-date on the bhang economy because “every time they [seize] bhang from dealers, they always give us spot-on valuations, to mean they know the commercial dimensions of this enterprise.”

She said that bhang plantations would be used to promote women’s welfare in rural settings “where we will spearhead their incorporation into farming endeavours and be encouraged to own titled lands”.

Ms Wangui reiterated that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has exhibited independence, impartiality and fairness in the electoral process.

“I urge other politicians to mind their public language on IEBC lest they incite Kenyans into a culture of refusing to accept results,” she said.

“We should all commit ourselves to accept results after they are declared. Politicians will seek each other to shake hands after the polls as you remain incited fighting each other.”

Ms Wangui, who revealed she had applied for a principal secretary job in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration but was not considered, contested the Mavoko parliamentary seat in 2017 under Jubilee but lost in the nominations.

She was among eight people interviewed for the Roots Party running mate position. Having been picked, she says she is committed to forming the next government.

mwangilink@gmail.com