| PHOTO: | Nairobi governor aspirant Peter Kenneth during a meeting with city leaders supporting his bid, January 15, 2017. /COURTESY |
|
| |
|
|
By:
WILLIAM MWANGI
|
| Posted:
Jan,16-2017 16:34:42
|
|
| |
Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth has officially declared he will vie for Nairobi governor on a Jubilee ticket in the August election.
Kenneth, formerly of the Kenya National Congress party, said he was interested last October, but was torn between Nairobi and Murang'a.
He announced his decision on Sunday, soon after Senator Mike Sonko said "foreginers" were not welcome to the contest.
"I am ready for nominations or consensus to pick winning teams because all we want is development for the people of Nairobi," said the politician who vied for president in 2013.
He attended a service at Jesus Winners Ministry Church in Roysambu, accompanied by Nominated Senator Beatrice Elachi and MPs Rachel Shebesh (woman representative), Maina Kamanda (Starehe) and James Gakuya (Embakasi North).
Others were MPs George Theuri (Embakasi West), Waihenya Ndirangu (Roysambu), Yusuf Hassan (Kamukunji), John Njoroge (Kasarani), John Omondi (Embakasi East) and several MCAs.
At Jubilee's grand meeting at Kasarani stadium on Friday, Sonko said nobody will be pushed from outside the county to confuse the people in the race for county chief.
Sonko said all aspirants for the race were at the function. Kenneth wasn't.
Regarding the Senator's criticism, the aspirant said Nairobi is key to Kenya and belongs to everyone.
"This city needs a manager who has a proper track record...who can show people what he has done to enable proper governance. If you are looking for that person look no further. I am here," he said.
Kenneth pointed out his desire to tackle challenges that incumbent Governor Evans Kidero has not, which include the traffic and garbage collection menace.
.jpg)
Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja, Gatundu South's Moses Kuria, Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko and other politicians attend a service at former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru's Jesus Is Alive Ministries church, January 15, 2017. /COURTESY |
"We want to see a city where when you want to move from town to Karen you can do so in 30 minutes...a city that is free of garbage," he said, and urged the public to register to vote.
The former Gatanga legislator is expected to shake up city politics but Kidero has often expressed certainty about his re-election.
The leaders who accompanied Kenneth heaped praises on him saying his track record as MP spoke for him.
Ndirangu said the Murang'a leader has shown he is the right person to develop the city.
Hassan and Kamanda said they will back Kenneth should he be selected as the party's flag bearer.
"Jubilee has decided that it has to scoop all the top seats in the city. If Kenneth becomes our flag bearer, we will make sure we push for him to be the next governor," said Kamanda.
Raila Odinga's ODM party said it will back Kidero's re-election. Chairman George Aladwa, who intends to run for the Makadara MP seat, said they hope to get at least 70 of the 85 elective posts in the county assembly.
While Kenneth attended the Roysambu church service with his supporters, Sonko and the others attended one at former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru..
Sonko was with politicians including Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja, Gatundu South's Moses Kuria.
|
|
Source:
|
|
.jpg)
RSS