Esther Passaris has once again managed to put herself at the center of a heated national conversation, this time over her remarks during an inspection of the Bomet Affordable Housing Project on August 28.
The Nairobi Woman Representative condemned the quality of the work, describing the wall finishes as “pathetic” and demanding that the contractors redo the job before the units could be handed over.
While she presented herself as a defender of quality standards, her actions have drawn sharp criticism from those who see them as misplaced priorities and hypocrisy.
In a viral video, Passaris can be heard questioning why the walls looked rough and bumpy, comparing the work to that of unskilled artisans.
She went on to insist that the project should not be cleared for payment until the flaws were corrected.
Officials on site seemed to agree with her concerns, warning that the State Department for Housing risked approving substandard work.
The site manager, however, explained that finishing touches were still underway.
What stood out from the whole episode was not so much the technical details of the project, but the posturing of Passaris who seemed more interested in grandstanding for cameras than offering solutions.
The Bomet project is already at 95 percent completion, with 220 units almost ready.
It is part of President William Ruto’s much-publicized Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which promises decent housing for Kenyans.
For Passaris to suddenly emerge as a champion of quality when she has been one of the strongest backers of the housing levy raises questions about her sincerity.
Many Kenyans online quickly pointed this out, reminding her that she supported a policy that directly burdens low-income earners, yet she now appears to be pretending to be their protector.
Even more telling is that just a day after attacking the Bomet project, Passaris went to Kericho where she praised the Talai Majengo Project, calling it a model of empowerment.
That project, which features 324 units, was hailed by her as a good example of how the housing plan can create jobs for boda boda riders and mama mboga.
The inconsistency in her tone has not gone unnoticed.
To critics, it reflects a politician more concerned with photo opportunities than consistent oversight.
Passaris has been around housing conversations for years, from championing the levy in 2023 to attending project launches in Soweto East Zone B in 2022.
But her latest conduct in Bomet has been described by many Kenyans as political theatre.
If she truly cared about accountability, she would be fighting the levy itself which takes money from struggling workers every month, instead of picking on wall plastering in a nearly complete project.
By choosing to make noise about surface issues while ignoring the larger policy failures that she herself helped push, Passaris exposes her misplaced priorities.
The truth is Kenyans are tired of leaders who thrive on grandstanding while sidestepping the real battles.
If Passaris wanted to show genuine concern for the people, she would confront the broken financing model of these housing projects and demand transparency in how billions are spent.
Instead, she appears content to chase headlines. This latest episode has only cemented the view that her brand of leadership is shallow, reactive, and opportunistic, more about appearances than substance.
For Nairobians who expected her to focus on real issues affecting the county such as unemployment, insecurity, and basic service delivery, her posturing in Bomet only confirms how far removed she is from the struggles of ordinary citizens.
