Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has opened up about the challenges of navigating Kenya’s political landscape, saying she has struggled to maintain her principles in an environment she described as driven by shifting loyalties and competing interests.
Maina said politicians often face pressure to compromise their beliefs, arguing that political survival can sometimes reward individuals willing to change their positions depending on circumstances.
“You see, politics has no tangible moral compass. The slithering, lying and conniving characters thrive better than anyone else in the political field,” she said.
She added that politicians have perfected the art of appearing truthful even when their actions do not necessarily correspond with their public statements.
“Politicians have long crafted the art of lying ‘honestly’, which allows them to appear as if they are actually telling the truth and acting from a point of duty even when they’re not,” Maina said.
The lawmaker, who has spent four years in politics, said she has regularly prayed that her involvement in public affairs would not fundamentally alter the principles that guide her decisions.
Maina recalled that only six months after entering Parliament, she told her best friend that she was unsure whether politics was the right environment for her because she was constantly finding herself in situations that challenged her understanding of leadership.
She also disclosed that she had several private discussions with President William Ruto over her values and some of the policies being pursued by his administration, saying the conversations began well before the controversial Finance Bill 2024.
According to Maina, some of her concerns were also raised publicly by the President during a Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association (KYPA) dinner, which she said was livestreamed.
She linked her experience to the now-famous Project 22 group, saying she was actively involved in efforts associated with the initiative.
The lawmaker said her differences with the government reached a defining moment ahead of the Finance Bill 2024.
“When the Finance Bill 2024 came up, a month to its actual tabling, I had enough of it,” she said.
Maina said she informed those around her that she was prepared to vote against the Bill even if doing so threatened her political affiliation.
She admitted that she was uncertain about her future in politics at the time, but said she could no longer support a system that conflicted with her core values.
Looking back, Maina said her experience has strengthened her belief in allowing faith to guide her political journey.
“I’m still that non-conforming outlier who refuses to bend my values to fit in the system,” she said, adding that she intends to give her best whenever she believes she has been led to a particular path.