Martin Kamotho, famously known as ‘Githeri Man,’ gained fame in an unexpected way after he showed up to cast his vote in the 2017 General Election where he carried his breakfast, a mixture of beans and maize, commonly referred to as Githeri.
In what appeared to be an unusual moment, Kamotho caught the attention of his fellow voters. Luckily, one of them quickly took a photo of him and shared it on social media, thrilling Kenyans.
The photo went viral online, with netizens tagging him ‘Githeri Man,’ a name that has stuck with him to this day.
In this segment, Times Digital Kenya explores the life of Martin Kamotho, alias Githeri Man, after he gained fame in the country.
Immediate Impact of Fame
Having gained attention during the 2017 General Election, Githeri Man stole the spotlight in a poll that was nullified by the Supreme Court, throwing the country into a historic repeat poll.
A few months later, Uhuru Kenyatta won the rerun of the election, marking a turning point for Githeri Man. This was when he received his first recognition after being awarded the Head of State Commendation (HSC), along with a token of appreciation of Ksh100,000 from the president himself.
That’s not all. Martin not only received rewards, including a piece of land in Ngong Hills, but was also endorsed by a number of companies. Nonetheless, some took advantage of him, using his popular image to promote their businesses without giving him a penny.
Changes in the Personal Life of Githeri Man
As his popularity slowly faded, Githeri Man turned to alcohol and became an addict. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta was forced to send him to rehabilitation, where he spent six months.
Speaking to the local news outlet Citizen Digital, Martin Kamotho revealed that nothing had changed in his life financially, despite the big opportunities. In fact, he said that his life remained the same as it was before fame.
Githeri Man also disclosed that he is frequently ridiculed for living in Kayole estate despite his fame.
“Maisha iko sawa tu hata kama hayo yote yalitendeka. Mimi na bibi yangu bado tuko hapa na tunaendelea kung’ang’ana” he told Citizen Digital.
Githeri Man further revealed that with the Ksh100,000 award from Uhuru Kenyatta, he bought furniture for his grandmother, who did not live long enough to enjoy it.
Regarding the piece of land in Ngong, he said it remained idle because those who had promised to build him a shelter did not fulfill their commitment.
