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Wamuthende reveals cheeky reason why he changed his name
20th January, 2026 10:02 AM
Mbeere North Constituency Member of Parliament, Leo Wamuthende, has revealed the real reason why he changed his name from Leonard Muriuki Njeru to Leo Wamuthende.
Speaking in an interview with a local TV station on Monday night, January 19, 2026, Wamuthende put to rest rumours about his namechange by clarifying that he only changed his name for political reasons.
He added that at this point, he had already forgotten his former name, and he fully identifies with his new name. He, however, stated that he still uses the same ID number and is still the same person.
“I have actually managed to forget that name. This is a matter in court that I don’t know if I can talk about, but I had good reasons. I still have my Id number. It was related to politics, and I am happy I did it,” Wamuthende stated.
When asked whether it was related to an oxygen plant scandal worth more than 400 million shillings at the Kenyatta National Hospital, he stated that it had nothing to do with it.
“If all those documents have my ID number, I am still the same person. That was very sensational, I remember the opposition pushed to have me put on national headlines, made copies and distributed, but people know me.”
“I have never stolen, and I am not planning to. The EACC is an independent body and is free to do its investigation and come up with reports, and I am free to defend myself,” Wamuthende added.
Wamuthende’s entry into the National Assembly followed a high-stakes by-election on November 27, 2025, which was triggered after the previous MP, Geoffrey Ruku, was elevated to the Cabinet.
He secured a narrow victory with 15,802 votes, defeating his closest rival, Newton Karish, in a race that was seen as a critical test of the ruling coalition’s influence in the Mt. Kenya region.
His campaign was bolstered by heavy hitters within the government, including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who actively campaigned on the ground to frame Wamuthende as the system’s choice for development.
This backing was instrumental in insulating him from aggressive opposition attacks, which sought to portray his candidacy as a move to protect business interests rather than serve the public.
His political tenure has been shadowed by legal challenges and intense scrutiny regarding his integrity.
