Lynn Ngugi explains why Wantam chants won’t disappear despite paid influencers’ efforts
By Paulette Mboga, September 28, 2026Lynn Ngugi has said the ‘Wantam’ chants will not disappear despite efforts by some influencers to push a different narrative, arguing that politicians should ask themselves why Kenyans are rejecting them in public spaces.
The media personality reacted to the criticism directed at Kenyans who heckled Karen Nyamu during Natalie Githinji’s event on Sunday, September 27, 2026, saying politicians should focus on understanding the reasons behind the public’s response instead of lecturing citizens.
She argued that ordinary people have the right to decide who they want to listen to and who should address them.
Ngugi said politicians need to understand that the chants will not stop simply because some influencers are being paid to promote a different message. She maintained that people’s feelings cannot be controlled or changed through such efforts.
“They need to understand that the ‘Wantam’ chants will not disappear simply because certain influencers are being paid to push a different narrative. You cannot manufacture how people feel!!!” Ngugi said on Monday, September 28, 2026.
Lynn Ngugi tells politicians to listen to citizens
Ngugi said the message from citizens was clear, adding that elected leaders should recognise that their positions come with a responsibility to the people they serve. She argued that politicians should respect the public’s right to decide who they want to hear from.
“What citizens are telling you is actually very simple. At the end of the day, we decide who we want to listen to and who we want addressing us. You work for the people. We are your bosses,” Ngugi said.
She maintained that politicians should not dismiss public reactions when citizens refuse to listen to them. Instead, she said, leaders should reflect on the reasons behind such responses and seek to understand what the public is communicating.
Ngugi also questioned the approach of those who want to lecture Kenyans over the heckling of Nyamu. She said politicians should consider whether the public’s reaction points to a need to reassess how they engage with citizens.
“When people no longer want to hear from you, perhaps the first response shouldn’t be to lecture them. It should be to ask why,” Ngugi said.
Ngugi’s remarks centred on the relationship between politicians and the people they serve. She argued that citizens have the right to choose who addresses them and that leaders should take public reactions seriously rather than attempt to change how people feel.