Picture this: How many times do Cabinet secretaries fail to honour parliamentary summonses or skip crucial sittings? Too many to count.
It is the reason National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi caught many Nairobians by surprise on Monday when he turned up for public engagement with Bunge la Mwananchi, right in the heart of Nairobi’s Jeevanjee Gardens.
For a solid two hours, he sat with ordinary citizens, answering their burning questions in an unfiltered Q&A session.
It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. According to Bunge la Mwananchi leadership, they had invited him twice — once in November and then again with a reminder in January.
“Then last week, he reached out to one of the members and Monday, he finally came,” said the forum’s Strategy and Policy Adviser Charles Mc’Olonde. “Normally they (government officials) never respond.”
And just like that, this visit became the biggest highlight of the/this year for the group.
Yet, it's rare for high-ranking government officials to take time out of their busy Monday schedules to engage Kenyans in such informal settings. In fact, very few, if any, have engaged in such on official working days.
Founded in the early 1990s under the tight grip of a one-party state, Bunge la Mwananchi was conceived as a grassroots movement and a people’s watchdog to keep those in power in check. It has not changed much.
It operates like a shadow government, mirroring real ministries and dockets, with leaders elected by the people.
In its early days, a Bunge la Mwananchi president could serve for years. But as democracy evolved, so did the forum —now, leadership terms last just two years. At its core is civic education, the leadership explained.
Francis Awino, the current Bunge la Mwananchi president, sees the forum as a crucial space for enlightening citizens about governance and their rights.
But despite its deep roots in activism, many dismiss it as a mere gathering of idle talkers —an unfair label, according to Bunge’s youth representative and media liaison, Stella Sifuna.
“Bunge La Mwananchi suffers from a perception problem. People just see results and they never know that sometimes, those ideas originate from this forum,” she said.
While it might seem like a ragtag assembly, it actually draws in some of Nairobi’s sharpest minds, particularly from the University of Nairobi.
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Graduates and students of political science frequently engage in debates, dissecting national issues with depth and insight.
John Mark Ababu, an emeritus president, put it bluntly: “They can always be dismissed as just busybodies whining the day away. But in reality, meaningful discussions happen here all the time.”
While it is not just a usual visit, in many ways, can be dismissed as pedestrian. But to the officials of Bunge la Mwananchi, Mr Mbadi’s visit was more than just a guest appearance. It was proof that Bunge la Mwananchi cannot be ignored, they say.
“Do not underestimate yourselves,” Mc’Olonde told Nation, explaining that it is the affirmation that their conversations were now reaching the highest corridors of power.
For President Awino, the visit was “historical” since only a handful of senior government officials and high-ranking persons ever grace Bunge la Mwananchi, and he believes more should follow suit.
“If other CSs can also visit, we can realize just how important conversations can heal this country,” he said.
Indeed, this isn’t the first time the forum has provided a platform for political heavyweights. After losing the 2022 presidential elections to President Ruto, Raila Odinga made his first public appearance at Bunge la Mwananchi.
That moment, Mc’Olonde explained, was his springboard back into the national political scene.
Under the scorching Nairobi sun, with dust swirling around and street vendors looking on, Mr Mbadi faced a barrage of questions — his sudden preference for air travel, corruption, taxes, and governance. No topic was off-limits. And he played along.
On his frequent chopper rides, for instance, the CS said his busy schedule at times calls for fast travel that cannot be done via traffic-jammed roads.
Ditching the stiff suits and bureaucratic jargon of the Treasury building, he arrived in casual khaki pants, a checked shirt and sports shoes, blending in with the crowd.
He sat on the same dusty stones as the people, took notes under the sweltering heat, and sweated like everyone else.
At times, he engaged with candour. Other times, he evaded —like when pressed on the cost of renovating the State House. But perhaps the most surprising moment? He promised to come back.
“I don’t mind coming again and being held accountable,” he said, before playfully adding, “as long as you don’t beat me when I return.”
For Bunge la Mwananchi, this was more than just a visit. It was a victory —a sign that the voices from Jeevanjee Gardens were being heard.
