South African politician Julius Malema’s recent visit to Kenya stirred up a lively discussion, with mixed reactions from Kenyan citizens. Malema didn’t hesitate to express his views on the country’s head of state, President William Ruto, and his government’s policies, particularly focusing on taxation. While some applauded Malema for speaking out against what they perceived as Ruto’s harsh tax policies, others criticized him for lacking diplomatic etiquette during his visit to a foreign nation.
During Malema’s stay in Kenya, which lasted for over two days, government officials refrained from making public remarks about his criticisms. It was only after Malema left the country that President Ruto decided to respond to the South African politician’s comments. Ruto’s Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, known for his candidness and self-proclaimed title of “Mr. Truthful Man,” took the opportunity to address Malema’s statements.
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Gachagua did not mince words and openly criticized Malema and South Africa, highlighting what he perceived as instability in Malema’s home country. He pointed out that South Africa experiences frequent power rationing, with up to seven hours of daily power cuts. Gachagua urged foreign visitors, including Malema, to refrain from interfering in the affairs of the countries they visit and to respect the leadership and politics of those nations.
I want to tell our guests that when they visit, they should respect the leaders of the host country. We have traveled to foreign countries, but we cannot insult their presidents or interfere in their politics. Someone came here, claiming to be knowledgeable, arrived in the morning, but by 8 a.m., he already knew everything about Kenya. When we were in his country last December, there was a seven-hour power rationing, but we didn’t speak about it because we respect them. Now, he has come to Kenya with his knowledge and started criticizing our president. We want foreign leaders to engage in activities that brought them here. If it’s tourism, enjoy the coast, then go back home. Leave our affairs alone,” Gachagua stated in his speech.
Malema’s outspoken remarks seemed to strike a nerve within Ruto’s government, raising concerns about potential restrictions on his future visits to Kenya due to his critical stance towards the government.
However, some Kenyan citizens viewed Malema as a voice for their concerns, believing that many of their politicians had been reluctant to address the issues surrounding President Ruto and his administration’s governance. Mutahi Ngunyi, a renowned Kenyan political analyst, commented on Malema’s speech, drawing parallels to the biblical story of God using a donkey to convey a message to a prophet. Ngunyi suggested that Malema’s role was akin to that of the donkey, highlighting the need for candid discussions about the state of the nation.
“State House has a RESIDENT disease called Intellectual INCEST, If the King is NAKED, no one will tell him. In the Bible, God used a DONKEY to speak to the Prophet. Now God has sent a non-descript unionist called Julius Malema to tell us that the King is NAKED. #StateOFheNation,” Mutahi Ngunyi expressed through his Twitter account.
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