Martin Kamotho, better known to Kenyans as Githeri Man, has resurfaced after years away from the public eye, this time appealing for help to buy his first car.
Speaking in an interview with Commentator 254, Kamotho said the time had come for him to get behind the wheel.
“Mimi naweza taka mnisaidie. Badala ya kuenda mguu, mtu husema ah, siku moja nitajirike kidogo nijifanye niko na kagari?” he asked.
“Wakati utaniambia shika gari, uwache kwenda mguu. Nisitembee na mguu, ata mimi nitembee na kagari kama kako,” he added.
Githeri Man Pleads With Kenyans to Help Him Buy a Car, Watch? pic.twitter.com/u1ijucBbXq
— The Nairobi Times (@TheNairobiTimez) September 4, 2025
Kamotho shot to instant fame during the 2017 General Election after he was photographed queueing to vote while eating githeri, a popular Kenyan delicacy of boiled maize and beans, from a polythene bag.
The image spread rapidly online, earning him the nickname Githeri Man.
The viral photo caught the attention of the highest office in the land. Then President Uhuru Kenyatta awarded him a Head of State Commendation (HSC) and Sh100,000 in cash, while companies rushed to offer endorsements. He also received a parcel of land in Ngong Hills.
However, Kamotho’s newfound fame proved difficult to manage.
Known to love the bottle, he was placed in rehabilitation for six months on the President’s orders. But he later relapsed.
In a past interview, Kamotho admitted that despite the attention and handouts, his life had not changed much.
“Maisha iko sawa tu hata kama hayo yote yalitendeka. Mimi na bibi yangu bado tuko hapa na tunaendelea kung’ang’ana. Tulipewa shamba Ngong, tukapewa Sh100k na tukapelekwa trip Mombasa,” he said.
He also claimed he was short-changed by some officials within the presidency and failed to receive all that he had been promised.
News of his latest appeal for a car has sparked mixed reactions online.
“Nalala njaa alafu mtu anaomba kombole anunue gari,” wrote Dekim Kalvino on X.
Another user joked, “Gari apeleke wapi jamani, ama anataka kudeliver nayo githeri?”
Manu Kagia asked, “I thought alikuwa tajiri?”