Comedian and philanthropist Eric Omondi has spoken out about the controversy surrounding Karen Nyamu's attendance at Natalie Githinji's endometriosis awareness event held at KICC on September 27. In a candid car video shared on Instagram, Omondi questioned Nyamu's intentions for attending the event, despite being explicitly barred from doing so. He claimed that politicians were not welcome at the event, citing two specific reasons for their exclusion.
According to Omondi, the first reason for excluding politicians was that none of them, including women representatives in Nairobi, provided financial support when the event was being planned. Despite repeated calls, proposals, and promises, not a single politician came through with financial assistance. The second reason was to protect the message of the event, which was centered on endometriosis and women living with the condition. Omondi insisted that he did not want the conversation to be hijacked by politicians.
Omondi revealed that Nyamu had reached out through his manager, Dedan, asking to attend and offering support. Although she sent KSh 100,000, Omondi still communicated to his team at the gate that no politicians were to be allowed in. He emphasized that the conversation at the event was meant to be about endometriosis, and not about politicians. Nyamu had previously accused Omondi of orchestrating the loud heckling she received when she took the stage at the event.
In the video, Omondi directly addressed Nyamu's decision to attend the event despite the clear boundary that had been set. He asked, "Sitazki kusema Karen Nyamu wakifanya kuja event, any event, but allikuja kufanya nini?" suggesting that a politician's presence at such a moment inevitably shifts the spotlight away from the cause. Omondi drew on his experience as a public figure, saying there are events he personally avoids because he knows his presence would redirect cameras away from the person who truly deserves the attention.
Nyamu had accused Omondi of engineering the hostile reception she received when she took the stage. The senator claimed that Omondi and the MC, Antonio, instructed people at the back of the crowd to chant "wantam" the moment she began speaking. She pointed to what she described as a deliberate cue when Omondi introduced her by saying the two of them did not see eye to eye politically. Nyamu also tied the incident to a previous episode involving the late content creator Shalkido.
Karen Nyamu has been open about her efforts to balance her political career with raising three young children. The nominated senator has spoken about the guilt she feels when parliamentary duties take her away from her family. Nyamu once cut short a 12-day parliamentary trip to Malawi, returning home after just three days. She said she could not bear being separated from her children.
The incident has sparked a heated debate about the intersection of politics and social causes in Kenya. As a prominent comedian and philanthropist, Omondi's actions and words carry significant weight, and his comments about Nyamu's attendance at the event have sparked a wider conversation about the role of politicians in social awareness campaigns. The event was held to raise awareness about endometriosis, a condition that affects many women in Kenya and around the world.
Key points
- Eric Omondi barred politicians from attending an endometriosis awareness event to protect the message and due to lack of financial support from politicians.
- Karen Nyamu attended the event despite being explicitly barred, leading to a heated debate about her intentions and the intersection of politics and social causes.
- Nyamu has been open about her struggles to balance her political career with raising three young children.
