I am not a fool! Could Jaguar be responding to Uhuru?

Starehe Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Njagua, alias Jaguar, has seemingly hit back at President Uhuru Kenyatta for referring to him as “small-brained” over his [Jaguar’s] June calls for Tanzanian and Ugandan traders to be ejected from Nairobi markets.

On July 5, during his visit to President John Magufuli’s rural home in Chato, Tanzania, President Kenyatta put kind words aside as he tore into the youthful legislator for inciting Kenyans against Tanzanians.

“You know some politicians are speaking first even before thinking. You’ll find somebody’s thoughts are only centered around the village he was born and brought up in; he thinks that the world begins and ends with his village, [lack of exposure is bad],” said President Kenyatta addressing residents of Chato.

“You’re hearing some of them yapping about inexistent conflicts. [As a leader], how can you tell a Tanzanian that he or she cannot do business in Kenya? How can you tell a Tanzanian that he or she cannot walk freely in Kenya? How can you tell a Tanzanian that he cannot look for a wife in Kenya? Is that even possible?” posed the Head of State.

“At the same time, you [Tanzanians] cannot stop a Kenyan from visiting Tanzania, or doing business in Tanzania. You cannot stop a Kenyan from seducing a woman living in Chato. That is the East Africa we want; not the East Africa run by people who have small brains; and are guided by backward thinking, tribalism and stupidity,” said President Kenyatta in an angry tone.

Three weeks later, Jaguar has, seemingly, responded to the Head of State.

Speaking at the Eldoret Sports Club during the launch of Kesses Constituency Strategic Plan by area MP, Mishra Kiprop, on Friday, July 26, Jaguar said: “There are some people who said I am a fool. I am not a fool, and I do not fear speaking the truth. I love Tanzanians. I have a child with a Tanzanian woman. But, that doesn’t mean we should allow foreigners to come to our country and take up the jobs that, ordinarily, should be done by our citizens.”

Jaguar made alleged inflammatory remarks in mid-June, 2019, when he asked Nairobi traders to send away their foreign neighbours over claims that the Tanzanians and Ugandans had taken up jobs belonging to Kenyans.

Njagua, who was arrested and charged for inciting the public against Tanzanian and Ugandan traders in Nairobi, was on July 3 freed on a Ksh500, 000 cash bail by the Milimani Law Courts.

Until his release, Njagua had spent seven days detained at Kileleshwa Police Station.