Kiyiapi launches presidential bid

Former Education PS James ole Kiyiapi’s march to State House formally began on Sunday when he officially launched his bid for the country’s presidency.

And he also unveiled the Restore and Build Kenya party as the political vehicle he intends to use to ascend to the country’s top leadership even as he denied reports that he is anyone’s ‘project’.

“As far as I am concerned, I am God’s project…I am the project for Kenyans…the nation’s destiny is in our hands,” he said during the launch at Nairobi’s Kenyatta International Conference Centre.

Prof Kiyiapi, who last week resigned from his plum government job, explained that his decision to vie for the country’s top seat came after several years of reflection, prayer and consultation.

Accompanied by his wife Lucy and his party’s top officials, the former PS said by throwing his hat into politics, he was fully aware of the challenges that lay ahead in elective politics.

“Many people have told me that politics is a dirty game and I should have kept my job as a permanent secretary…I’m here to tell you that there’s nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come,” said Prof Kiyiapi.

He added: “It is time for us to restore and build this country to the potential that it has. I’m asking Kenyans to give me the opportunity to lead this country to a new level of progress and prosperity.

Prof Kiyiapi said while previous governments had done much to improve the welfare of Kenyans, it was still sad that many of them were still wallowing in poverty.

“Our inability to produce sufficient food locally in spite of the potential we have is an embarrassment…we should be ashamed that we have not been able to take advantage of the available technology to make the country a net food exporter,” he said.

He said if Kenyans resolved to work together, they could easily transform the country under his leadership.