Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu says she was not surprised after sections of the crowd heckled her with “One Term” chants during an endometriosis awareness event at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Sunday.
Nyamu was addressing thousands of attendees at Natalie Githinji’s Endometriosis Warriors event on September 27, 2026, when sections of the crowd interrupted her with the chants.
The senator said she had anticipated the reaction because the event was organised by activist Eric Omondi, who has been vocal in criticising the government.
“I was kind of expecting it because the event has been organised by activist Eric Omondi and he has been in the forefront fighting the government,” Nyamu said.
She said she had the option of staying away from the event but chose to attend because of her work on endometriosis and her responsibilities in Parliament.
“I had a choice to come or not to come. And for me, I cannot stop coming because there will be ‘One Term’ chants,” she said.
“I will come, say what I want to say and then I leave and proceed with my work on endometriosis in Parliament.”
Nyamu said the heckling was not a new experience for her, noting that she also encounters similar comments on social media.
“Even on social media, you will get comments, people saying ‘One Term’. It is not something new; they are a daily encounter,” she said.
The senator said she had chosen to ignore the chants and remain focused on her work.
“You have seen how I have handled it, I ignored it,” she said.
Nyamu said public support was not guaranteed even when a leader believed they were doing good work, urging herself and other leaders to remain focused on their responsibilities.
“I have a purpose. It is not all the time when you are doing a good job people will support you,” she said.
She also predicted that similar chants would continue during her public engagements.
“You just need to focus with what you are doing. I know there will be more ‘One Term’ chants in the days to come,” Nyamu said.
