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Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has found herself in the spotlight once again after announcing that she secured a deal with a local company that manufactures tampons.
Nyamu, who has faced backlash for her support of the now-withdrawn Finance Bill and President William Ruto, seems unfazed by the controversy this time around.
On June 30, Nyamu shared on her Instagram account that she had secured a deal to provide free tampons to young girls in school.
She emphasized that her foundation had been negotiating with Kotex Kenya to secure a deal for providing free tampons, specifically aiming to benefit schools in slum areas.
“Karenzo Nyamu, the girl with the bullets. On that note, my foundation has been holding meetings with Kotex Kenya to arrange a deal to supply free tampons to schools, especially in our slums. I’m thrilled,” she posted.
Nyamu also mentioned that she plans to educate girls in Nairobi on how to use tampons, highlighting their benefits in enabling girls to concentrate more on their studies.
Nyamu’s post swiftly drew the ire of many Kenyans, who flooded her comments section with promises to boycott Kotex products.
Critics accused Nyamu of using the issue of menstrual health to divert attention from her controversial stance on the Finance Bill.
Kotex’s Clarification
In response to the uproar, Kotex released a statement a few hours later, countering Nyamu’s claims. The company clarified that while they support menstrual health initiatives, they had not made any specific agreements with Nyamu or her foundation regarding the supply of free tampons to schools.
The company stated unequivocally that no discussions or agreements had taken place with Karen Nyamu or her foundation.
“Kotex hereby confirms that no discussions or conversations have taken place with Karen Nyamu. Any assertions regarding a prospective partnership involving Kotex are entirely false. Our commitment remains steadfast in championing women’s progress for all Kenyans.
“We emphasize that Kotex does not engage in any political affiliations or endorsements. We maintain our dedication to transparency and accuracy in all communications,” the statement read in part.
Nyamu responds after Kotex labels her claims fake
The UDA party politician was quick to respond to Kotex’s clarification. In an Instagram story, Nyamu accused the company of caving to threats and insisted that discussions had indeed taken place.
“Kotex Kenya don’t be chickens. A few threatening comments here and there and hours later you post this lol. So what exactly is fake? You had Enos and Cindy in your offices this week and we’re just waiting for communication on the best discounts you will give us,” the senator shared.
She further divulged that the comments on her post reflected misconceptions about tampons, viewing the situation as an opportunity to demystify tampons and expand Kotex’s market.
