Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has acknowledged that the remarks she made about a student during Senate proceedings were wrong, saying she accepts full responsibility for the incident and regrets making comments that sparked widespread criticism.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Monday, Nyamu said she was not seeking to explain away the controversy or argue that her words had been misunderstood. Instead, she said she chose to own up to the mistake and face the consequences that followed.
"It was an outright mistake," she said. "I don't want to defend myself and say they were taken out of proportion. I want to say I take full responsibility."
The senator said she was unaware at the time that the person at the centre of the discussion was a student. According to her, she only knew that the individual in question was a woman.
"If you watch the clip, I did not know it was a student at the time. I knew it was a lady," she said.
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Nyamu noted that the episode was particularly painful for her because it appeared to contradict causes she has supported throughout her time in public life. She said she has consistently advocated for the welfare of girls, students and other vulnerable groups and that the comments did not reflect what she believes in.
"As a woman who has really fought for the safety of young girls and really fought for equality of students, that is not what I stand for," she said.
She described the criticism that followed as one of the realities faced by leaders, saying public officials are often judged openly when they make mistakes.
"We make mistakes, we learn from it, and that's leadership," she said. "Your mistakes are done publicly, people can weigh in and make comments on it."
Nyamu also expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which she was required to apologise through parliamentary procedures. She said she had hoped to deliver a more direct and personal apology to those affected by her remarks.
"I wanted to apologise to the family and to the girl," she said. "I wanted to speak off the cuff and sincerely be sorry."
The senator said she refrained from making additional public gestures because she did not want her actions to be viewed as performative or designed for publicity.
"I like to be real. I don't like doing things for the camera," she said.
The controversy arose after comments Nyamu made in the Senate about a Grade 10 student visiting Parliament attracted public condemnation. Critics argued that the remarks were inappropriate because they involved a minor.
The backlash eventually led to a public apology after the Senate found that the comments were unbecoming and fell short of the standards of dignity expected within the House.
The incident also attracted criticism from women leaders and advocacy organisations, which argued that the comments undermined the dignity and protection of children.
FIDA-Kenya described the remarks as inappropriate and warned they could create the perception that public leadership spaces are unsafe for girls with the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) distancing itself from the comments, saying children visiting Parliament should feel encouraged and protected.