President William Ruto has registered the ‘mambo ni matatu’ phrase as a trademark, securing exclusive rights to use the phrase.
Through his lawyer Adrian Kamotho, people will be required to seek permission to use the phrase alongside gesturing the three fingers.
The phrase has become popular in the past weeks following Ruto’s stern warning to sugar cartels hindering the government’s plan to revive the ailing industry.
Ruto offered three options to alleged cartels including fleeing the country, going to jail, or going to heaven.
” We cannot continue to entertain this. We need a lasting break. All thieves must stop their acts,” he stated during a tour in the Western region.
“There is no place for such people. There are only three options; Leave the country, go to jail, or go to heaven.”
He repeated the phrase during the Africa Climate Summit, as he explained ways to ease access to finance by African countries.
“We are thinking about financing in Africa, three things are very important. As we say in Kenya, mambo ni matatu; Speed, scale, and affordability are required to ease access to finances
The phrase has become popular and is used widely on social media platforms, with politicians referencing to the catchphrase during their speeches.
Consequently, Kenyans seized the opportunity to print the phrase on T-shirts for sale.
On the other hand, the phrase attracted backlash from the members of the Opposition who cautioned Ruto against using threats in his capacity as the president.
“People should also be put in order. Everyone is speaking about three things, why is no one speaking about ten things?” Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka posed.
“When someone does something wrong, they should be told they are in the wrong because what matters is the lives of Kenyans and we want to develop here a democratic culture.”
By BRIAN KIMANI
Source-https://www.kenyans.co.ke/
Ruto Registers ‘Mambo ni Matatu’ Phrase As a Trademark
