Security officials stopped a family that had come to hand President Uhuru Kenyatta a birthday a birthday present when he went to cast his vote at Mutomo Primary School.
Joan Wamaitha, a mother of three, carried a bouquet of flowers and a birthday card to give to the President, but this was not to be.
Mrs Wamaitha, a casual labourer at a flower farm in Juja and a voter at Gachororo Primary School in the constituency, said her daughter had insisted that she wanted to see the President and give him a birthday present.
“My daughter has for the past three weeks insisted that I bring her here so that she can see the President and bring him a birthday present. I had to obey and bring her,” said Wamaitha.
Were optimistic
Before Uhuru arrived, Wamaitha, her husband, and children were optimistic that they would get a chance to hand over the presents.
“We believe in God and are optimistic that we will to get a chance to hand the President the birthday presents as a family,” she said.
Her bid failed as the President's security blocked her.
When the President was through with voting, he gave a media interview then, got into his car.
"We were not able to give the President the birthday presents in person. His security team took the flowers and the birthday card and went with them,” Waimaitha told The Standard.
Eric Dennis Kararau, Wamaitha’s husband, said his children wanted to give the President a birthday present since he was a peace-loving President.
The case was, however, different for Shadrack Mwangi, 25, who got an opportunity to give the President a birthday cake.
Mr Mwangi, a butcher in Juja, got a chance to greet the President and his mother, Mama Ngina Kenyatta.
He said he was elated to have met the President in person, which he said was a dream come true.
“After greeting me, he signalled his security team to take the cake. He told me he was in a hurry but instructed me to write my phone number on top of the package. I hope he will get in touch with me. I would be so delighted to hear from him,” said Mwangi.
He said should the President call him, he would plead with him to help him secure a good job.
