Meru girl moves William Ruto to shed a tear of joy with a poem

By PHOEBE OKALL
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She is young, bold, eloquent and sassy.

Armed with a poem, eight-year-old Nina Kanana Muema recently disarmed Deputy President William Ruto and moved the big man to shed a tear of joy.

The young girl, fondly known as Nana, is now Ruto’s personal friend after wooing him with her moving lines dubbed AmI Not Lucky?

She touched Ruto’s heart during a fundraiser at MCK All Saints Kinoru Methodist Church in Meru County on Sunday.

In the poem, the Standard Three pupil at Consolata Primary School described Ruto as a good person and leader.

Eight-year-old Nina Kanana Muema entertains guests at MCK All Saints Kinoru Methodist Church in Meru County on April 26, 2015. Nina moved Deputy President William Ruto to shed a tear of joy with her poem.
PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP.

The Deputy President’s eyes welled up with tears of joy after Nana told the crowd that she is the only one allowed to call him Uncle Willy.

The poem paid off instant dividends for Nana.

Ruto invited her to sit next to him and enjoy the trappings of power and the luxury of the high table until the harambee came to a close.

What shocked many was the fact that the young girl had a very short time to practise reciting the poem.

The lyrical lines were first sent to her by Ms Purity Kinyua, her trainer, on April 21— five days to the big day.

Deputy President William Ruto chats with Nina Kanana Muema at MCK All Saints Kinoru Methodist Church in Meru County on April 26, 2015. Nina moved Mr Ruto to shed a tearof joy with her poem.
PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP.

Changes were made on April 23 and finally a day before she took to the big stage.

Despite this, she mastered the lines and gestures well to a point she did not stammer or fumble before her motley audience.

Ms Kinyua describes Nana as “a very bright girl who knows what she wants.”

“I sent her the script on WhatsApp, she practised and recorded herself and sent it back to me. We discussed on the changes here and there. This little girl has an artistic mind,” she told Nation.co.ke.

Ruto described Nana as his personal friend who has a very bright future.

“I now know Nina Kanana Mutheu Muema, her mum and dad Arthur. I now have a personal friend in this county. She is a great girl and her future is bright,” he told the crowd amid claps and ululation.

Deputy President William Ruto chats with Nina Kanana Muema at MCK All Saints Kinoru Methodist Church in Meru County on April 26, 2015. Nina moved Mr Ruto to shed a tearof joy with her poem.
PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP.

Meru County Women Representative Florence Kajuju said Nana would make a great leader.

“I will always say that Nina Kanana is the future woman rep of this county. I will also mentor this girl through our Deputy President since they have now become friends,” she said.

Nana says she was excited to meet the Deputy President face-to-face and even have a chat with him.

When asked what they talked about she said, “he asked me about my name, my family, especially my parents, and gave me his personal number. He asked me to call him.”

Nana, the last born in a family of two, says she loves singing, poetry, dancing and skating.

Her dream is to become a musician.