A political controversy has erupted in Kirinyaga County after residents protested over women's underwear bearing the name of Senator Kamau Murango and 2027 political branding.

The unusual items, photographed and shown in videos circulating online, carry inscriptions including “NGAAF GVN KAMAU MURANGO 2027.”

The incident has triggered angry reactions from some residents, who questioned why women were being given branded underwear instead of support they said could improve their livelihoods.

The controversy comes as Murango positions himself in the race to succeed Governor Anne Waiguru in the 2027 gubernatorial contest.

Residents protest over branded underwear

Residents in Kutus were seen displaying the underwear during a protest, with some questioning the appropriateness of using intimate clothing as political merchandise.

One woman criticised the alleged distribution, saying politicians should consider more practical ways of supporting residents.

“He has failed in his job; that is why he is bringing women underwear. Just imagine underwear. I wish it could be something else, like shoes at least,” she said.

Another resident said the items did not address the economic challenges facing women in the county.

“This thing of underwear has brought so much disappointment and problems here,” the resident said.

“If you want to vie for senator or women representative position, stop bringing underwear to women. Underwear cannot help women. If you want to help them, do something that when you come back next time, it would have uplifted them.”

The residents instead called for initiatives that could support businesses, women's groups, education and other forms of economic empowerment.

Why the NGAAF branding has raised questions

The controversy has been amplified by the appearance of NGAAF branding on the underwear.

Some residents questioned why merchandise bearing the name of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund also carried Murango's name and 2027 political branding.

One resident argued that the senator's constitutional role is different from that of the Woman Representative, whose office is associated with NGAAF.

“It has embarrassed us, a whole senator bringing underwear to women, and it has been branded NGAAF,” the resident said.

“I understand that NGAAF is the project for women representatives. The work of the senator is oversight. We want him to understand the role of NGAAF and that of the senator, which is oversight.”

However, the presence of the NGAAF name on the underwear does not by itself establish that the items were officially produced, purchased or distributed through NGAAF.

That distinction has become central to the unfolding controversy.

Njeri Maina demands evidence

Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has challenged people claiming that NGAAF-branded merchandise was being distributed to provide evidence showing exactly who was behind the exercise.

Maina called for video footage capturing the people allegedly distributing the items, including their faces and the NGAAF branding.

She also said those with evidence should be prepared to record statements with police and offered a KSh50,000 reward for information that could help establish what happened.

Her intervention has introduced an important unanswered question into the controversy:

Who actually distributed the underwear?

While several reports and residents have linked the merchandise to Murango, there is a distinction between underwear bearing a politician's name and independently establishing who commissioned, paid for or distributed the items.

What has Murango said?

The controversy has placed Murango under increasing public scrutiny, particularly because his name and the 2027 gubernatorial branding appear on the items.

However, at the time of publication, there was no independently established evidence in the reports reviewed by The Daily Whistle proving that Murango personally organised the distribution.

Murango is the sitting Kirinyaga Senator and has been mentioned among politicians positioning themselves for the county's gubernatorial race.

The underwear controversy therefore comes at a politically sensitive moment as potential candidates begin building their networks ahead of the 2027 General Election.

A growing political conversation in Kirinyaga

Beyond the unusual nature of the merchandise, the incident has opened a wider conversation about campaign outreach and what residents expect from politicians.

Some protesters said political leaders should focus on programmes that provide longer-term benefits rather than short-term giveaways.

The debate has also moved online, where photographs and videos of the branded underwear have attracted widespread attention.

For Murango, the controversy comes with an additional challenge: whether the items were genuinely part of an initiative associated with his political activities or whether someone else was responsible for putting them into circulation.

As of Thursday, September 24, that question remained unresolved.

The incident has nevertheless become one of the most unusual political stories to emerge from Kirinyaga as the county's 2027 succession contest begins to take shape.