Kenyans congratulated President Uhuru Kenyatta when he ordered for 500 beds from artisans who had assembled unique hospital beds with many thanking him for the bold step in promoting innovation among youths.
However, it all ended in disappointment when they learnt that the order had been given to a different group of youthful innovators led by Mungai Gathogo and Joseph Muhinja based at Githunguri in Kiambu county.
Interestingly, the artisan who went viral on social media and who also makes similar beds was one Meshack Otieno who is based in Juja.
To many Kenyans on social media, this was an act of raw tribalism blaming Mechack’s last name for the misfortune that befell him.
Controversial former presidential candidate Mwalimu Dida was among the first to fire the salvo indicating that he has henceforth adopted a Kikuyu name.
“I am officially Mwalimu Kinuthia Mwangi. I think that using a Mwangi or Kinuthia name is the only way to get recognition from the government. This breaks my heart. If the Kikuyu community doesn’t stand with Kenyans against blatant tribalism, they will suffer the same one day,” he tweeted.
To his shock, Mr Otieono himself had no idea the president had given out the tender to a different group of innovators, and that he had been trending all day in social media.
“I have not been given any order by anybody. Yes, I do work with seven guys but today we are only four of us and we have not been visited by any government official,” he said.
But the Juja-based welder responded to missing the Ksh32.5 million tender to supply hospital beds to the government.
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He stated that he harbored no ill feelings towards the two youth in Githurai who bagged the order of 500 hospital beds,
“I am happy for the other person, and I’m praying for my time to come. This was his time but mine will also come. We couldn’t all have been chosen for that and as long as youth are benefitting that is good,” he said.
While commending the government for the bold move, Meshack said his only plea was that he too be given an order to deliver the beds or at least the tender be divided between him and the Githunguri group. “I am actually the one who went viral on social media, I am the one who took video of one of my guys eating on one of the beds illustrating how it works, I too should be considered and be given an order. “Even if it means we divide the order, it’s okay, at least we all shall have received something out of it,” he said.
