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Bag iko na nduma: Martha Karua gives unexpected answer to viral ‘bag ni ya nini?’ question
22nd August, 2026 10:28 PM
People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has responded to the viral Gen Z question, “Bag ni ya nini?”, although her answer appeared to take a different direction from the interpretation associated with the popular phrase.
The opposition politician was asked the question by a journalist from a local TV station during a quick-fire session in which she was also challenged to respond to a series of light-hearted questions about her personality, leadership and life outside politics.
When the journalist suddenly asked her “Bag ni ya nini?”, Karua responded by giving a practical interpretation of what a bag is used for before adding her own political twist to the viral question.
“Bag iko na nduma bwana. Na iko na haki ya kila Mkenya. Iko na mahitaji ya kila Mkenya,” she said.
Beyond the light moment that followed the question, Karua went on to reveal a more personal side of herself while responding to the other questions posed during the quick-fire session.
She said she did not believe politics or leadership should be centred on individuals, arguing that leaders should instead place the interests of the people at the heart of their work.
“Politics is not a dirty game. Leadership is not about oneself,” she said.
Karua said that if she had the opportunity to change one thing about Kenyan politics, she would focus on restoring integrity to the country’s political landscape.
“If I could do one thing to change Kenyan politics, it would be clean it up,” she said.
She also identified integrity as one principle she would never compromise on, stressing that a good leader should always put the people first.
“One thing I will never compromise on is integrity. A good leader always thinks about people first,” she said.
Life away from politics
Karua also opened up about what she does when she is not engaged in political activities, revealing that she enjoys spending time with her family and engaging in recreational activities.
“The best advice I have ever received was follow your heart,” she said.
She added that when she is away from the political arena, she prefers spending time at home with her loved ones, dancing or playing golf.
“When I am not thinking about politics, you will always find me at home with my people or dancing or playing golf somewhere,” she said.
The PLP leader also revealed a lesser-known interest, saying she enjoys swimming and dancing.
“One thing you would be surprised to know about me is I love swimming and I love dancing,” she said.
Karua further reflected on how age had changed her outlook on life, saying growing older had taught her to appreciate life more and avoid rushing through it.
“Growing old has taught me that there is more to life and we should never rush,” she said.
Asked what her younger self would think of the person she has become, Karua said she believed the younger version of herself would recognise her determination to remain committed to her principles.
“If my younger self could see me today, she would say, ‘You have stayed the course,’” she said.
Karua also revealed that her preferred fashion choice is African-inspired clothing, singling out kitenge as her number one choice.
“My number one fashion choice is African kitenge,” she said.
The veteran politician also offered advice on maintaining sister locs, cautioning against using excessive products on African hair.
“One tip to take care of my sister locs is do not use oil and do not use anything,” she said.
Karua said African hair could be maintained simply, recommending locs or braids together with water for occasional washing.
“African hair just needs locs or braids and nothing else, and water to wash occasionally,” she said.
Message to Kenyan women
Karua also used the quick-fire session to outline what she believed women should champion, saying the protection of people’s rights should remain a priority.
“Everything every woman should champion is the rights of everyone,” she said.
Asked what she would do if she became Kenya’s first female president, Karua said her immediate priority would be ensuring that the rights of every Kenyan were protected.
“If I became Kenya’s first female president, the first thing I would do is ensure that the rights of every Kenyan are protected. In other words, restore order and discipline,” Karua said.
Author
Steve Ireri
Steve is a senior writer with over four years of experience in digital journalism. His focus is on the showbiz and human interest stories. Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]
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