A video of Machakos County official Rita Ndunge distributing sweets to members of the public at what appeared to be a roadside campaign stop has set social media ablaze, with many Kenyans calling out what they described as a patronising approach to wooing voters ahead of 2027.
Ndunge, listed on the Machakos County website as the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Youth, Sports, Gender and Social Welfare, was filmed handing out the sweets through a car window to a crowd gathered at the outdoor event.
Machakos youth reject sweet-handing campaign tactic
The crowd’s reaction in the video was pointed. Attendees made clear they had grown tired of being given token gifts, with voices in the crowd expressing that they could not be bought with sweets.
Some young people could also be heard in the background asking Ndunge to address the youth, but she was caught distributing the sweets.
Upon noticing that their cry was falling on closed ears, they started asking her to get out of the car and leave. The general sentiment was one of exhaustion with what many perceived as superficial political gestures from leaders seeking votes.
Ndunge is reportedly eyeing the Machakos Woman Representative seat in the 2027 general election, and the gathering appeared to be part of her early groundwork ahead of that campaign.
The backlash highlights a broader frustration among Machakos residents who feel that aspirants continue to show up with small handouts rather than substantive plans.
For Ndunge, the optics of the moment have made for an uncomfortable start to what is shaping up to be a competitive race for the Woman Rep position.
Watch the campaign video that sparked the backlash:
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The clip drew sharp reactions online, with many Kenyans poking fun at the campaign strategy while others used it to voice deeper dissatisfaction with political culture in the country.
Here are some of the comments from social media users:
@nungarikiore wrote:
“This is diabolical 🤯. Who is coming up with these campaign ideas?”
@mutheedaniel added:
“Hakuna politician ata wai saidia mahali.”
@opap_ochieng drew a humorous comparison, saying:
“Reminds me of our principal during KCSE…Sweets to calm our nerves and remember the answers.”
