Githunguri Member of Parliament (MP) Gathoni Wamuchomba has expressed her support for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s African Union Chairmanship (AUC) bid, albeit with conditions.

Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Wamuchomba noted that she was wishing Raila success in his candidature, however, should he fail, he should quietly retire from Kenyan politics.

She also noted that the former premier should not try to contest for presidency in 2027.

“Wacha mzee apate kazi bwana, baba has looked for this job for ever and ever, he just needs to be given a very nice retirement package in AU, wacha mzee apate kazi so that he can exit the political scene and leave the new energies to occupy. If he doesn’t get it, he just needs to go to retire in Bondo and we will give him a very good retirement package as an ex-prime minister but he shouldn’t come back to get into the ballot for presidential campaigns,” she said.

Wamuchomba justified her sentiments noting that Kenya needs fresh faces of leadership majorly conmprising of young people whom she says will transform the country tremendously, she argued that those who have long been in the country’s political sphere are part of the problems Kenya is facing.

“We have just decided that we are not going to give those generations a chance, we have given them a chance for over 40 years; next election we are going to elect a very young president and a young woman deputy president, we are not going to allow those previous leaders because they are the problems of this country, they are the recyling problems in our country. So if he doesn’t get in AU, he should prepare to retire in Bondo and we are going to give him all he necessary support he requires for his retirement,” she added.

Further, Wamuchomba lauded the Gen Z’s determination to what she termed as liberating their country from oppression through what she expressed as hefty taxes, burdening those already struggling to survive lean times.

She also expressed her admiration of their willingness and resolve to rescue their country through online activism and urged the young people to maintain the energy. The lawmaker, however, advised the young people and Kenyans to rightfully elect serious leaders who will steer the country’s growth by appropriately managing the country’s resources.

“Definitely yes, the young people have decided the country belongs to them, the future is their country and they have decided to protect the future and i’m liking the energy in young people, i’m liking the resolve to rescue a country that is sinking, you can see the kind of activities they are doing, the online activities they are doing, right now, we are saying of course, we must rescue Kenyans from their oppression of losing all then mandatory of deductions to the government without accountability and i think the Gen Zs are doing it right and I just want to encourage them to continue because this country belongs to them.

“Kenyans must decide whether they want guatarist, cartoonists and entertainists in parliament or they want serious characters in parliament who can be trusted with the resources in the country,” she said.