Kidero dismisses Kenneth’s governorship bid

Governor Evans Kidero has dismissed the entry of Peter Kenneth into the Nairobi governorship race telling him to prepare for a political humiliation bigger than his loss in the Jubilee Party primaries.

This comes after the 2013 presidential candidate and former Gatanga Member of Parliament on Friday announced that he would contest Nairobi gubernatorial seat as an independent candidate after losing the Jubilee Party ticket to Senator Mike Sonko.

Speaking at St Stephen’s Anglican Church in Nairobi on Saturday, Dr Kidero laughed off the re-entry of Mr Kenneth into the Nairobi race saying that he was in political denial after being trounced in the primaries but still trying to make a comeback that would not lead to any success.

“We welcome him to the race because he was well on his way to becoming a member of county assembly but let him prepare for a political beating he has never witnessed,” said Dr Kidero.

Dr Kidero said he was not worried exuding confidence that he would be given a second term banking on an agreement that has been struck among all the affiliate parties in National Super Alliance (Nasa) to share seats in the county saying that would ensure that no vote goes to an opponent or registered as a protest vote.

“Just like the others in the race, let me tell him that Nairobi residents know who they want. They want a consistent, predictable, reliable and dependable leader and that person is me.

“We are ready for Jubilee or any other person and it will not be easy here whether they come with William Ruto or whoever,” he said.

UNITED OPPOSITION

He said that all ODM candidates and those who lost in the nominations agreed to forge a united front going into the campaigns for the August 8 election after a meeting, attended by Opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga, to iron out differences that had emerged in the acrimonious exercise.

He added that Nasa had agreed to come up with a secretariat, in support with the EK centre, to drive his campaign in the city and those of other Opposition candidates in the county.

The governor asked the electoral commission to speed up the printing of ballot papers to avoid a sham election that would not reflect the will of Kenyans come August 8.

“This is an issue of national concern and I hope they are prepared and it will be done in time. We will not accept a sham election because of lack of preparation,” he said.