Kenya ‘Joyrider’ Delegates in New York May Have Caused Kenya Great Embarrassment

Diaspora Messenger | March 29, 2014 |

The conduct of a government delegation at a high profile meeting in the US may have caused Kenya great embarrassment.

Sources have told The Nairobian that some members of the Kenyan delegation to the United Nations headquarters in New York drunk themselves dumb and turned rowdy to the shock of their hosts.

These ‘joyriders’, about 60, were not part of the main government delegation of the government led by Cabinet secretary for devolution and planning Anne Waiguru.

Waiguru had led a team of Kenyan leaders to the 58th Session on the Commission on Status of Women that was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Waiguru’s team had a lean delegation of 10 people, among them six MPs and three senators.

But during the time Kenyan delegates were reported to have misbehaved, the 10 key officials and lawmakers representing the Jubilee government including Waiguru, Naomi Shaban and Linah Jebii Kilimo were not in the vicinity.

Sources said the other group of Kenyan delegates included several directors and commissioners in government.

The source, who was at the session from March 10-21, said many people were avoiding the company of some of the commissioners who were exhibiting ‘funny behaviour’.

“There was a time we were at the lounge at the UN building and a commissioner (name withheld) removed his shoes and placed his feet on the coffee table. Interestingly, a few other commissioners thought that was the right thing to do so they also removed their shoes and placed their legs on the coffee table,” the source said.

Orderlies at the UN building had to come and whisper to them to get their feet off the table.

The drama did not end there.

After a session, just before dinner, part of the Kenyan team (not in CS Waiguru’s entourage) decided to go for a drink. A few women got drunk and started singing, ‘Budalangi ni serikali, na Ababu ni SG (referring to Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba).

After dinner, they took to the dance floor and the group of Kenyans raised eyebrows when their drunk colleagues asked the American DJ to play Ken Wa Maria’s song ‘Fundamendos’.

The DJ did not oblige and soon the Kenyan delegation were shouting, ‘DJ must go, DJ must go’, much to the amusement of other guests.

- The Nairobian