Presidential candidate Prof George Wajackoyah and his running mate Justina Wamae have been among the most discussed presidential pairs especially among the youth since their unveiling.

Wajackoya and Wamae were cleared on June 2, 2022, to contest for Presidency in the August 9 polls against Deputy President William Ruto who is running alongside Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua, Raila Odinga who has Martha Karua as the running mate and David Mwaure Waihiga who is running alongside Ruth Mutua.

While other candidates have been making ‘sensible’ promises like slaying the dragon of corruption, reviving the economy, restructuring the education and reviving farming, Wajackoyah and Wamae have a very unique promise: legalise marijuana use in Kenya.

The promise has seemingly won them substantial support from Kenyans going by social media posts, but it could be jokes, after all, who takes Kenyans on social media serious?

Justina Wame age

At the age of 35, Wamae is the youngest candidate in this year’s election to seek the second most powerful office in the land among the four candidates.

Her competitors are way much older, with Martha Karua aged 64, Rigathi Gachagua 57 while little is known about Ruth Mutua, including age.

Education

Justina graduated from Daystar University with a Bachelor’s degree in 2010 and has a Master’s degree in procurement and logistics from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

Speaking recently to a local media house, Wamae revealed that her parents had to take loans to keep her in school. Unluckily for her, she has never been formally employed since she graduated, becoming one among the many graduates who have never been formally employed.

To earn a living, the mother of one has been in the excavation industry and supply of building materials.

Dream car

While others could dream of owning luxurious cars like a Range Rover or even a Rolls Royce, Wamae never had such dreams while in school. All she wanted was to own a Toyota Platz, an economy car manufactured in Japan.

Platz was manufactured in Japan by Toyota from 1999 until 2005 when it was replaced by the Belta. Designated by Toyota as the XP10 series, the Platz was also sold in export markets as either the Toyota Yaris or Toyota Echo. The “Yaris” and “Echo” names were also given to the export version of the related Japanese market Vitz hatchback, from which the Platz derives. The name “Platz” is German for “space” (as defined by “the interior room is spacious”). 

“I’ve never been formally employed. When I went to university, I used to fantasise about buying a Toyota Platz after graduating. I thought I would leave home, rent out my own place and buy a Toyota Platz as that time this was the popular car, alongside the Vitz, but it never materialised,” she said.

First stab into politics

Justina Wamae first entered into politics in the 2017 elections, when she unsuccessfully contested for the Mavoko parliamentary seat.

She contested as an independent candidate, garnering 1,200 votes in the duel won by the current MP Patrick Makau.

Justina Wamae does not smoke marijuana

Despite the pair advocating for marijuana as a solution for foreign exchange and medicinal use, Wamae does not smoke marijuana, according to her public confessions.

However, while in public forums, Wamae does not leave behind her scarf with Rastafarians’ signature colours of red, green and gold, along with the ‘weed’ plant drawn.

She however says that she is advocating for medical marijuana, which can help the country in terms of both medical and economic breakthroughs.

“It (marijuana) has two components. We will use KEPHIS and KEBS will identify what we want without the psychoactive ingredient (which makes people high),” she said.

Wamae is however willing to smoke in celebration when they clinch the presidential seat. 

“I have never puffed bhang but one thing I can assure you, I have even asked for permission from my husband, the moment we win, during the inauguration, tutapuff kishash (bhang) lazima kiwashwe. But it’s only for that day,” she said.

Wamae is married and has a three-year-old daughter.