My leadership will unlock country’s economic potential, says Kenneth

I must appreciate the noble service you are doing to the people of Gatanga and the country at large. I believe it is on this platform, of service delivery to the people that you are seeking to govern this country.

You come across as a youthful aspirant. What strategies will you put in place to end rampant unemployment among the youth?

Despite the new Constitution, there are some people still stuck in the old era of impunity and corruption. How will you stamp out these monsters and why are you not vocal on the gross violation of the Constitution by the Executive? 

Thirdly, Kenya’s politics is deeply rooted in tribalism and tribal alliances are coming up. Are you party to this? And if not what strategy will you employ to win the presidency given that political pundits argue that you do not command a large following?

— Vivere Nandiema, Kehancha.

Please tell us the strategy you will use to move young people to your camp.

— Vincent Muiruri, Nyandarua County.

Mheshimiwa, how do you plan to ensure affordable education for all?

— Peter Macharia Warui.

Thank you for your questions Vivere, Vincent and Macharia, which are interlinked. My leadership will create opportunities for everybody through equitable access to education that is linked to relevant skills for the job market and entrepreneurship.

The youth, being the majority in the country, will be the main beneficiaries of this policy. I will focus on tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and slum upgrading as key drivers of the economy to achieve this.

The Narc Government was instrumental in the implementation of free primary education. However, we are yet to achieve success in the education sector.

First, the quality of education offered to our students is inadequate. This is because of a combination of factors from lack of funds to hire teachers to poor facilities to cater for the huge demand for education.

Secondly, enrolment in secondary and tertiary institutions must increase. The creation of new employment opportunities, must be accompanied by improvement in the quality of education.

Young people should be well equipped to take advantage of the various employment options in the market. This requires extensive reform within the education system so as to make our youth competitive locally and globally.

I campaigned for the passage of the Constitution and continue to speak for its full implementation. Further, I have spoken out against the mutilation and marginalisation of the Constitution.

The law must be followed to the letter and impunity and corruption dealt with within the confines of the law. We must ensure that crime does not pay in Kenya.

My position on the appointment of County Commissioners is that we must respect the rule of law and all appointments should be made in line with the Constitution. However, we cannot devolve national security.

We must find a solution to the management of security that is consistent with the Constitution

Lastly, I am not and will not be party to any tribal alliances; I can only be party to an alliance that focuses on unlocking Kenya’s potential and uniting her people. Unfortunately, Kenya has seen the irreparable damage caused by negative ethnicity. I am not willing to be part of groups that wish to take Kenya back to her dark past.

I believe in one Kenya nation where we can celebrate our ethnic and cultural diversity. I will run an issue-based campaign that is sensitive to the needs of the Kenyan people, especially the younger generation who are not inclined to negative ethnicity.

I appeal to the youth to elect a president based on performance credentials rather than tribal affiliations.

What plan do you have for Marsabit and the larger arid and semi- arid areas of the country?

-Mohamed. Bonaya, Marsabit  County.

Mheshimiwa, well done for the meticulous approach towards handling public resources. Our biggest obstacle to economic prosperity is corruption and impunity. How do you plan to eradicate corruption and ensure the rule of law prevails?

— Paul Magacha, Nairobi.

Mohammed I was recently in Moyale, Laisamis and North Horr. Marsabit County has great potential for tourism and energy generation, including wind energy and oil in Maikona.

These sources of energy provide us with a unique opportunity to promote economic and social development, build human capital and reduce infrastructure gaps.

I am committed to establishing adequate security, infrastructure, water, health and education in these areas, and equitably across the country.

My government will ensure that the local communities and Kenyans at large are the main beneficiaries of the energy windfall. We must avoid the “resource curse”, which has affected other African countries.

On good governance and also in response to Paul’s question, the Constitution will be a compass for my leadership and administration.

I will ensure peace and security and improve economic and political governance as a foundation for economic prosperity.

I am particularly keen on the enforcement of the rule of law to deal firmly with corruption and impunity to communicate strongly to the Kenyan people that no-one is above the law.

Justice will be efficiently dispensed to act as deterrence to anyone who may want to perpetuate impunity.

How do you plan to win the central Kenya vote, which seems to be Uhuru’s at the moment?  Secondly, what is your stand on corruption in Kenya seeing as it is you were once alleged to have obtained a palatial building using the backdoor?

— Kamau SM.

Kamau, we should not confine our thoughts to regions as opposed to the entire country. In the 2002 election, we had two presidential candidates from central Kenya and the issue of supremacy in the region did not arise. Kenyans have a right to get the widest possible choice of presidential aspirants. One has to be accepted across the whole country to become President.

Nevertheless, I was elected with the highest majority in the region in the last election.

On the corruption issue you raise, I presume you are referring to the Public Investment Committee hearings that were highlighted in a section of the Press recently. I have never owned any property using the “back door”.

What emerged in the PIC has been satisfactorily answered. I presented the facts that clearly proved that I was not the first buyer of the said property. I also provided documentation to prove that the first buyer paid fully for the building.

Some factories are located far from their source of raw materials. For instance maize from the Rift Valley is taken to Mombasa and, after processing, the flour is brought back to Rift Valley at a higher price. If you become president what measures will you take to ensure this is corrected?

-Jefferson Mwakio Mwakera, Saghasa, TaitaTaveta County.

I completely agree with you Jefferson. I would encourage you to take a look at my website, www.peterkenneth.com and engage in the debate on the manufacturing sector in our country. It is important, especially when it comes to commodities such as maize flour that more production facilities are built in all counties so as to lower prices on these goods.

However, such plans can only be achieved in the long-term, as part of a strategic policy framework on food security. Medium-term strategies are required, like improving the transport infrastructure to lower the transactional cost of the goods with the saving eventually passed on to consumers. As your president, access to market and value addition of such produce will be a priority.

In reference to your distinguished performance of Gatanga CDF management, do you have in place an operational modern ideology, theory, new order and comprehensive policy structures to replicate the same in the nation if elected the fourth president?

Hudson Lucky Masheti - Nairobi County.

What is behind the success story of Gatanga? What have you done different that other MPs need to learn?

-Alex Kimondo,Nyeri county.

I am aware that Gatanga CDF management is a success story and that is credit to you. But running for presidency is different, it involves imprinting yourself on the national conscience. How are you planning to do that?

Barasa Wandabi, Kakamega.

Hudson, Alex and Barasa, your questions are somewhat similar and I will respond to them jointly. I will refer you to my website, www.peterkenneth.com, for you to have a more detailed view of my policy propositions.
In due course, I will publish a structured manifesto with timelines so that Kenyans can hold me to account.

In Gatanga constituency, we have distinguished ourselves by focusing on few, high-impact projects as opposed to spreading ourselves thin with many projects that have minimal impact. I will replicate this model nationally, by addressing fundamental issues that will spur economic growth and unite our people.

I have visited the whole country and will now do a more focused visit to every county after the launch of my presidential bid in the next few weeks.

Some of the lessons I believe we can share from Gatanga is that there needs to be delegation of responsibilities to the CDF committees.

A strategic plan is critical and there must be equitable development across the constituency. I hereby also reaffirm my commitment to the implementation of the Constitution and reiterate that the next election will be a choice between performers and non-performers.

May I also encourage you to compare my performance in public service against that of my fellow presidential aspirants.

Some people have derogatorily referred to you as kamuthungu.  Do you take some offence about this?

— Wanjiku wa Karago Kibichoi, Kenya.

Wanjiku, I take no offence at all at being referred to as muthungu/mzungu. In fact, that reference helped my older voters who could not pronounce my name, to identify me. They walked into the polling stations and asked: “Kwa mzungu ni wapi?” Names and personalities are non-issues that will not push Kenya forward.

As one of my favourite authors, Bernard Baruch, says ‘those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.’

Is it true that you are going to be someone’s running mate? You will always be the president of my choice.

— Maurice Raudo, Nambale, Busia County

Maurice, thank you for the vote of confidence. I am running for the presidency of the Republic of Kenya; I have not been in discussions to be anybody’s running mate.

I feel that you are a lone ranger; I haven’t seen you wooing any influential politician to your camp like your rivals. So do you think you’ll make it?

- Vincent Nyamache

Vincent, I am not a lone ranger. I have toured Kenya and been received by thousands of Kenyans; I am never alone. It is these Kenyans, not a few individuals, who will decide the future of our country.

It is one’s beliefs, values and the issues they opt to tackle that will determine leadership as opposed to those around them. Let Kenyans judge me based on what I have done and what I stand for.

What are your plans for Nairobi?

— Timothy Kamau, Nairobi.

Timothy, I was born and bred in Nairobi. When I was growing up, things worked in the city. There was water, security was not an issue and I fondly remember playing football in public spaces with my friends. Children growing up in Nairobi today do not have the same luxury.

Sixty per cent of Kenya’s GDP is derived from Nairobi, which is home to 11 per cent of our population. With the exponential growth of our capital city, I will renew the focus of the leadership of Nairobi city and county towards ensuring that we meet the basic and important needs of the residents.

We are grappling with a transport crisis which I will address by investing in infrastructure for a modern metropolitan transport system for Nairobi. Uhuru Highway should be an express way rather than the largest car park in Africa.

You are a respected good leader. However, knowing that the voters are first and foremost a hard nut to crack, as it were, why would you not become a running mate of another politician who leads in opinion polls?

How do you personally measure your popularity in the country? Secondly, are you in the presidential race to test the waters for a future bid? If your bid fails, will you be willing to work as a minister, if so appointed?

— Githuku Mungai Nairobi.

Githuku, it is interesting to note that whereas all other presidential aspirants appearing on the opinion polls have by and large launched their presidential bids.

I have consistently polled in as “statistically significant”, meaning that I enjoy sufficient support to meet the pollster’s threshold without any launch on my part.

My countrywide visits provide me and my team with an opportunity to measure the response of Kenyans alongside other statistical tools that we employ. I am in the race to win; in the unlikely event that I don’t, I will continue to serve Kenya.

You were quoted recently in the media as saying that Kenya does not need reforms any more. Since the realisation of the reforms is dependent on the full implementation of the Constitution, is it your view that even those who opposed this Constitution can and should be trusted with its implementation?

— Nyaoke George - Makindu

Nyaoke from Makindu, thank you for your question. For clarification, I never said that Kenya does not need reform.

I stated that what the country needs is to have performance-oriented leaders who will strictly adhere and implement the principles of the Constitution, including ensuring that reforms are fully undertaken.

In my mind, the reformist agenda has taken us far in giving us a new direction and basis for our politics as a people. The critical thing now is to move to the full implementation of the Constitution especially the rights-based approach to development. We can longer argue about the existence of human rights, what we must talk about now is how we are going to realise them.

The Constitution is for all Kenyans whether they supported it or not.