Waititu and nine others given nod for Kabete poll
What you need to know:
- “We should not elect leaders on the basis of political parties because this is how we end up with bad leaders,” the Democratic Party’s Mr Ngugi said.
Former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu is among 10 candidates that have been cleared to contest the Kabete parliamentary by-election on May 4.
Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC) official Esther Wanjiku said Friday the last candidate was cleared on Wednesday evening.
Mr Waititu will represent President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) and rights activist John Wamagata will contest on a Safina ticket.
The other candidates are Mr Kavore Kariuki (Narc Kenya), Mr Kiriro wa Ngugi (Democratic Party), Mr Isaiah Ndirangu (Party of Democratic Unity), Mr Newton Njenga (National Vision Party), Mr George Mungai and Mr Moses Wachaga, (independent), Mr Paul Kariuki (People’s Party of Kenya) and Mr Wilson Karanja (ODM).
The seat fell vacant following the death in February of Mr George Muchai, who was shot with his two bodyguards and driver in Nairobi.
Mr Waititu is confident of easily winning the seat, saying the area is a JAP stronghold.
“I won 14,000 votes in the primaries while my closest challenger had 2,000. This means the people of Kabete have accepted me as their MP. My track record in Embakasi speaks for itself,” he said.
His rivals, however, are urging the electorate not to vote for a political party but for individuals.
BAD LEADERS
“We should not elect leaders on the basis of political parties because this is how we end up with bad leaders,” the Democratic Party’s Mr Ngugi said.
Safina’s Mr Wamagata said if elected, he will create a culture of opposition in county politics and introduce policies that will benefit the people.
“Kiambu is a one-party county and this has been costly for the people because all MPs dance to the same tune. If elected, I will not be on the government or opposition side but on side of the people,” he said.
The candidates have promised to complete Mr Muchai’s CDF projects and start new ones.
Independent Mr Mungai, a university lecturer, said education, water, health and youth empowerment will be top of his agenda if he is elected to the National Assembly.
