COUNTY POLITICS: Task of freeing residents from poverty awaits next Ganze MP

The next Member of Parliament for Ganze in Kilifi has their work cut out.

The constituency has suffered decades of marginalisation, despite having able leaders like former MP Noah Katana Ngala, who was a Cabinet minister in the Moi regime of 24 years.

So bad is the situation that residents still depend on relief food, with the region notorious for persistent water shortage.

This, interestingly, is despite the fact that Baricho Water Works, situated in neighbouring Magarini, produces millions of litres of water daily for the people of Mombasa County, 120 kilometres away.

Ganze is one of the least resource-endowed constituencies not only at the Coast, but in Kenya as a whole.

Not even devolution has brought about meaningful change to the region.

According to the findings of a report, “Intra-County Inequality in Kenya”, the five counties with the worst income inequality are found at the Coast. They include Lamu, Tana River, Kwale, and Kilifi.

 In both Kilifi and Kwale, Garashi and Ndavaya areas respectively were named by the report as the poorest wards in the country. Kilifi and Kwale were also named among the most unequal counties in the country.

Another report, “Pulling Apart or Pooling Together?”, says that a huge percentage of the Ganze population lacks any formal education.

It further indicates that the region has one of the highest school dropout rates, coupled with numerous cases of early pregnancies.

WANT ADDRESSED

These are some of the issues that voters will want addressed by aspirants seeking to unseat current MP Peter Shehe in the August 8 polls.

They include County Assembly Deputy Speaker Teddy Mwambire (ODM), Edward Kingi (Kadu- Asili), Anderson Kenga (Kanu), Patrick Kenga (Ford Kenya), William Kenga (independent candidate) and Joseph Kingi (Shirikisho Party of Kenya).

Ganze has a population of 139,412, according to the 2009 census with 37,563 registered voters in 2013, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) statistics.

It has been served by four MPs since independence, each promising to end the problems afflicting the region but failing.

One of the MPs, Mr Noah Katana Ngala, was a powerful minister in the Kanu regime from 1988 to 1997.

Mr Ngala lost to Mr Joseph Kingi of Narc in 2002. In 2007, former powerful Provincial Commissioner Francis Baya (Kadu Asili) was elected MP and served until 2013, when he lost to Mr Shehe (Federal Party of Kenya).

In a recent interview, Mr Shehe said he was optimistic of being re-elected after successfully implementing projects that he claims have benefited locals.

“I have done so many projects ranging from building schools, road construction and drilling boreholes. I have rehabilitated more than 56 primary schools,” he said.

“Currently the 40-kilometre Mariakani-Bamba road is being tarmacked and is nearing completion,” he added.

For his part, Mr Mwambire says his 10-year experience as a councillor had prepared him well for the task ahead.

'NEXT LEVEL'

“I now have what it takes to lead the people of Ganze constituency and take it to the next level,” says the aspirant, considered as Governor Amason Kingi’s ally.

Mr William Kenga, a lawyer, is making his third stab at the seat, having gunned for it in 2007 and 2013.

“I have 11 years’ experience practising as a lawyer. I have lined up several projects which will be beneficial to the people of Ganze,” he says.

Mr Edward Kingi, another aspirant says: “I have been engaging the people of Ganze on the different issues that affect them”.

Mr Anderson Kenga, a businessman with interests in the tourism sector, says he will be vying for the seat with one major aim — to change people’s lives.

“Through my Arloste Foundation, I have offered free scholarships and bursaries to needy students, thus helping educate them.”

Mr Patrick Kenga, another aspirant said: “My plan is to develop this constituency and turn it into a land of riches and opportunity”.

Mr Patrick Mwadori, a development expert, attributes the myriad problems facing the constituency to poor leadership.

“If people can be well sensitised about the importance of harvesting rain water and utilise it later to rear livestock and then a good market is identified for them, the region can end the ugly hunger situations,” he said.