Musician Kevin Bahati says the Mathare constituency has gone too long without a homegrown leader.
Speaking during an interview on a local media station on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, the singer explained his drive to represent the area, building on his own experience growing up in the slum.
High poverty levels in Mathare, he says, demand a leader who deeply understands the ground.
Homegrown leadership
Bahati feels Mathare desperately needs a representative who has lived through the daily struggles of the residents.
“Mathare has never had an MP or rather a leader that is born, raised, schooled, bred in Mathare,” Bahati said.
He believes the community wants a relatable figure they can proudly claim.
Imposed candidates
The musician also pointed out a flaw in the political system that he says has crippled development in Mathare. He observed that political alliances often handpick candidates for the constituency just to fill vacant party slots.
“Because of political alignment, unakuja unaletwa unaambiwathere is a constituency hatuna candidate and that’s how we get our MPs,” he explained.
According to Bahati, this brings in leaders who are completelydisconnected from the realities on the ground.
“After elections, huyu mtu anaanza kutafuta sasa nitaanzia wapi kwa hii slum. You don’t know the issues facing the youth, the issues facing the kids, women,” he said. “That’s why development imekuwa very slow, and things have been the same for so long.”
The 2022 miscalculation
Looking back at his first run for the seat, Bahati revealed that his time in national political campaigns opened his eyes.
He recalled being a main artist during the 2017 presidential campaigns and making good money as a top musician. However, visiting Mathare always left him heartbroken.
“You feel like things are still the same. Your fellow schoolmates, watu umegrow nao mtaani, the best job they have during that campaign season is just normal goons,” he observed.
The frustration of endorsing politicians who offered no real solutions to the neighbourhood pushed him to the ballot.
“Unaletwa u-endorse mtu unajua huyu mtu hajasaidia mtaa. And that’s how I made a last minute decision in 2022,” Bahati disclosed.
Even though he lost the election, he does not regret the bold step. He just admits his timing was off.
“I feel like it’s the best decision I made, but politically was a mistake because I came in so late,” he said.
This late announcement of his intention to vie, he believes, is what cost him the seat, as a chunk of the electorate went to the polls unaware he was even on the ballot.
In the 2022 elections, Bahati finished third in the Mathare parliamentary race after garnering 8,166 votes.
