In a recent event attended by Kiambu women’s representative Ann Wamuratha, she shed light on the reason why Kikuyu women have developed a fondness for veteran radio presenter Maina Kageni.
During her speech at a wedding, Wamuratha suggested that Kikuyu men generally lack a romantic side, despite women desiring to be pampered and showered with love and affection.
Addressing the gathering in the local dialect, Wamuratha made her observation and offered some advice to the newlyweds, recounting her own experience with her husband who is a pastor. She revealed that her husband does not even compliment her, recounting an incident where she asked him if she looked smart after dressing up nicely, to which he responded with confusion, saying “Where?”
She went on to explain that this lack of affection and affirmation from Kikuyu men is what attracts many Kikuyu women to Maina Kageni, despite his unmarried status. Wamuratha believes that Maina Kageni tells women what they want to hear. When a woman calls him, he responds with endearing terms like “darling,” and many women are captivated by his charm.
Imitating Maina Kageni, Wamuratha continued, sharing an example of a woman telling her story to Maina, who responds by saying, “You mean he can do that, darling.” With the contrast between the sweet names Maina uses during their conversation and the harsh reality of how these women are referred to at home, they are less inclined to spend time in their own households.
Maina Kageni, a presenter at Classic FM, has always been an advocate for women and was encouraged to run for the women’s representative seat in 2017, despite being male. Although the constitution stipulates that the seat can only be occupied by a woman, Maina playfully announced that he would be contesting as an independent candidate.
“It’s no longer a secret. I’m on the ballot, and my symbol is a smart weave made of 100% human hair. The women of Nairobi deserve the best! Come out and vote in large numbers,” he wrote.
While Maina still offers his insights to women regarding relationships, he has made it clear that he has no plans to get married, asserting that marriage is not for everyone. In a conversation with Jalang’o, Maina explained that he dislikes the commitment that comes with marriage, as men are constantly expected to impress their partners, something he personally does not subscribe to.
“I am a person who loves my freedom. Let’s say the pandemic is over and I wake up and say, ‘I want to be in the US in two weeks,’ and I go. Do you think you can do that if you are married? You have to ask your wife, and that’s what I have a problem with,” he expressed.
