Mung’aro launches campaign in bid to be next Kilifi governor
Kilifi North MP Gedion Mung'aro (in red T-shirt) with his supporters at his Dabaso home in Kilifi County. He has launched his bid for the Kilifi gubernatorial seat. PHOTO | KAZUNGU SAMUEL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Mung’aro, who is the Kilifi North MP, was elected on an ODM ticket but has since moved to Jubilee.
- He launched his gubernatorial quest on Sunday with a major convoy in Kaloleni Constituency.
- He has been accompanying President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto in marketing Jubilee in the region.
Daggers are drawn in the Kilifi gubernatorial race with the Jubilee Party aspirant Gideon Mung’aro officially rolling out an elaborate campaign in his bid to oust Governor Amason Kingi.
The battle is gradually shaping up to a three-horse race pitting Mr Mung’aro, Mr Kingi and former Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi (Kadu Asili).
Mr Mung’aro, who is the Kilifi North MP, was elected on an ODM ticket but has since moved to Jubilee.
The vocal MP is a major critic of the opposition at the Coast and has been accompanying President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto in marketing Jubilee in the region.
Mr Mung’aro launched his gubernatorial quest on Sunday with a major convoy in Kaloleni Constituency which is perceived as Mr Kambi’s stronghold.
He later went to Tsangatsini in Guruguru where he met grassroots leaders.
Mr Mung’aro’s meeting with 400 elders and grassroots leaders in Kaloleni quickly turned into a public rally when more people attended to hear his agenda.
OVERNIGHT MEETINGS
He later conducted overnight meetings with women groups, youth and elders before moving to Tsangatsini Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa (Pefa) church to meet aspirants for various seats.
“I want to work with local committees which are best placed to articulate your issues. Among my agenda is to bring piped and not dam water to the residents. The standard of life for the residents must improve,” he said.
If elected, he said, he will help youth groups with equipment to make local fertilizer using coconut chuff “which is big business in India which exports the same to us when we have plantations and plantations of coconut trees”.
Banking on the ongoing national government projects in the area, Mr Mung’aro urged the residents to vote for the Jubilee Party and President Kenyatta during the August polls for more development.
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
“You have seen for yourselves how much the national government has invested here.
“The 40km Mariakani-Bamba road is being tarmacked. The Mariakani-Mavueni one is complete and the 110km Malindi-Sala Gate-Voi road is ongoing. Many more will come if you support the Jubilee government,” he said.
He said many residents had benefited from the “last mile” electrification programme which resulted in thousands of homestead being connected to power.
The area is said to be a pre-dominantly a Kadu Asili zone but Mr Mung’aro vowed to change the scenario and pull votes towards Jubilee.
Governor Amason Kingi and Mr Kambi have made inroads in the area opening a number of projects in a bid to win voters.
Both Mr Kambi and MP Gunga Mwinga will vie on Kadu Asili.
ODM ZONE
In a recent rally in Kaloleni, Governor Kingi said the area remains largely an ODM zone and asked voters to continue supporting Cord leader Raila Odinga.
He accused the leaders in the Jubilee camp of being dishonest, saying people can get development even while in the opposition.
“People should not cheat you that they went to government because of development. The truth is that they went there because of their own personal gain. Through devolution, development can be got even in the opposition because we have our own government,” he said.
But Mr Mung’aro said the billions of shillings devolved to the county did not reach the grassroots as a small clique benefited through stealing the money.
