Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu faced a noisy reception at an endometriosis awareness event at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on Sunday, September 27, 2026. Nyamu had attended the event to speak about efforts in Parliament to address endometriosis and improve attention to the condition. However, sections of the crowd interrupted her remarks with repeated chants of “Wantam,” a phrase used in Kenyan political discourse to call for a one-term limit. The interruptions made it difficult for her to deliver her message and quickly turned her appearance into one of the most discussed moments from the event. The incident was captured on video and later circulated widely across social media.
The event was organised by media personality Natalie Githinji as part of efforts to raise awareness about endometriosis and the challenges faced by women living with the condition. Thousands of people attended the gathering at the KICC Comesa Grounds, where health advocacy was combined with entertainment and public discussion. Nyamu took the stage to address the audience about legislative efforts surrounding endometriosis and the need for stronger policy attention. According to footage from the event, the crowd became increasingly vocal as she spoke, with some attendees chanting “Wantam” over her remarks. Despite the disruption, Nyamu continued addressing the issue before the moment moved on.
The “Wantam” chants carried a political message because the expression has become associated with calls for elected leaders to serve only one term. In this case, the chanting was directed at Nyamu while she was attempting to speak about a health issue rather than during a formal political rally. The reaction showed that political disagreements can sometimes enter public events that focus primarily on social or health issues. Nyamu later said she was not surprised by the reception and had anticipated criticism before attending the gathering. She explained that she had chosen to attend because she wanted to continue speaking about endometriosis and her work on the issue in Parliament.
Nyamu has previously spoken publicly about the need for stronger government action on endometriosis in Kenya. In August 2026, she called for a review of how the Social Health Authority addresses the treatment needs of women living with the condition. She also raised concerns about the cost of treatment, the availability of specialists and gaps in national data on endometriosis. Her involvement followed growing public attention to the condition, including the experience of Natalie Githinji, who has spoken publicly about living with advanced endometriosis. Nyamu has argued that the issue requires attention beyond individual cases and should form part of broader healthcare policy discussions.
During her KICC remarks, Nyamu referred to parliamentary action on endometriosis and said she had given notice of a motion on the issue on September 10. She also discussed the need to bring the matter before Parliament as part of efforts to improve government attention to the condition. Her comments came at an event specifically designed to give greater visibility to endometriosis and the experiences of women affected by it. The crowd’s response, however, shifted some of the attention away from the health message and toward the political reaction to Nyamu’s presence. Videos from the event subsequently made the heckling one of the most widely discussed moments associated with the gathering.
Endometriosis remains an important health issue because it can cause chronic pelvic pain, painful menstruation and other symptoms that can significantly affect daily life. The condition can also take years to diagnose, making awareness and access to appropriate medical care important parts of the wider discussion. In Kenya, advocates have repeatedly called for better awareness, stronger access to specialist care and improved support for patients. Public figures such as Natalie Githinji have helped bring personal experiences with the condition into national conversations. The KICC event therefore had a health advocacy purpose that extended beyond the political reactions surrounding Nyamu’s appearance.
After the heckling, Nyamu appeared to choose humour and entertainment rather than allowing the incident to dominate the remainder of her appearance. A viral video showed her requesting the DJ to play the trending “Siaka” song before she began dancing on stage. Dressed in a burgundy outfit, Nyamu was seen laughing and dancing alongside a man holding a microphone as members of the audience watched and recorded the moment. The scene presented a sharp contrast to the earlier disruption, when the crowd had repeatedly interrupted her speech. Her decision to dance turned the tense moment into a lighter part of the evening.
Nyamu later described the heckling as something she was already accustomed to experiencing, particularly on social media. She said she regularly encounters similar comments online and indicated that she generally chooses to ignore them rather than engage with them. She also explained that she expected some criticism because of the political associations surrounding the event. According to her comments, she believed the gathering had links to activist Eric Omondi, who has publicly criticised the government. Nyamu said she nevertheless decided to attend because she wanted to speak about endometriosis and continue her parliamentary work on the issue.
The incident illustrates how public appearances by political figures can attract reactions that extend beyond the subject of the event itself. Nyamu attended a gathering centred on women’s health, but her political identity became a major part of the audience’s response. The “Wantam” chants showed that some attendees wanted to communicate a political message while she was on stage. At the same time, the event continued to serve its broader purpose of raising awareness about endometriosis and supporting women affected by the condition. The competing focus between health advocacy and political expression became a defining feature of the day’s public conversation.
The viral “Siaka” dance also changed the tone of the story after the heckling. Instead of ending her appearance with the disruption, Nyamu joined the entertainment taking place at the event and appeared comfortable on stage. Her laughter and dancing provided a very different image from the tense footage of her earlier speech. The moment also helped the incident spread further online because audiences shared both the heckling and the subsequent dance clips. As a result, the KICC appearance became a combination of political reaction, health advocacy and entertainment.
Karen Nyamu’s appearance at the KICC endometriosis event therefore produced two very different moments that attracted public attention. She faced “Wantam” chants while discussing legislative efforts on endometriosis, then later requested the “Siaka” song and danced on stage. Her own explanation suggests that she had anticipated criticism and chose to focus on the health issue that brought her to the event. The incident also brought renewed attention to the wider campaign for greater awareness, better treatment and stronger policy support for women living with endometriosis in Kenya. Despite the political tension surrounding her appearance, the event kept an important health issue in the public conversation and showed how advocacy, entertainment and politics can intersect at large public gatherings.
