Charity Ngilu on why she has been missing from Azimio demonstrations

Speaking during the burial of prominent Machakos businessman Pius Musembi on Tuesday, Ngilu stated in jest that she opted to stay behind the scenes and pave way for the "young ones" to partake in the 'teargas experience'.

She added that she has had her fair share of being teargassed during the late President Daniel Moi's era from the early 90s.  

"I know one of your leaders said that they can't see Kaluki. And it is true you can't see me but I am not far away. And I want to say that those who are saying it wamekunywa teargas just the other day," she said.

"Mimi nimekunywa teargas tangu 1992 jameni (I have been teargassed since 1992 surely). Si hata these young ones wakunywe teargas pia kidogo."

Away from the witticism, Ngilu commended those who were at the forefront of the protests, urging them to uphold their spirited march until their demands, among them to lower the high cost of living, are met.

"But we are watching you. You must continue because honestly, the truth is we had a very good agenda for Azimio, we said all the things that we were going to do," Ngilu said. 

"But the others also said, as soon as they took oath with the Bible, that the price of Unga will go down Ksh.70. We have waited and it has not happened," she added.

"So I think you are right and even these conversations that we are having let them be transparent we know what you are talking about because we are interested in saving the country." 

Ngilu added in retrospect, that Kenya needs to return back to its heydays when government systems worked for every Kenyan.

"I was in that government, Raila (Azimio leader) was in that same government and that is when we saw a Kenya that everyone was proud of and therefore I think that we must continue pushing a Kenya that will be beneficial and good for everyone."

Ngilu, who is Narc party leader,  is among those allied to the Azimio coalition, alongside Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc-Kenya's Martha Karua and KANU's Gideon Moi.