Candidates in last attempt to woo voters

Candidates in Monday’s Kabete parliamentary by-election Saturday made their last attempts to woo voters.

Though there has been little political activity in the consistency, each of the 10 candidates expressed confidence that they would emerge victorious.
They have been criss-crossing Kabete in a door-to-door campaign strategy to sell their manifestos and policies.

Former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu, who is running on a Jubilee Alliance Party (Jap) ticket, camped in the constituency on Friday and yesterday with some MPs who rallied voters to elect him.
“In the two years I will be in Kabete, I will work diligently so that the people of Kiambu have confidence in me and give me the energy to pursue the governorship,” said Mr Waititu.

Mr Waititu said that his tenure as Embakasi MP speaks for itself, saying he initiated several projects in matters education, health and infrastructure, and that his time in Kabete will be better.
Other candidates have been urging voters to shun him.

Whereas they have been asking the electorate to pick the best among them in Monday’s by-election, they have been categorical that Mr Waititu is not the best person to occupy the Kabete parliamentary seat.

They said that they will improve roads, water, health, education and security as well as implement former local MP George Muchai’s Constituencies Development Fund projects.

NOT DELIVER

George Mungai (independent), John Wamagata (Safina) and Paul Kariuki (Progressive Party of Kenya) said that if Mr Waititu becomes Kabete MP, he may not deliver, saying his interest lies not in Kabete politics but in Kiambu county politics.

Mr Mungai asked Kabete residents to vote wisely, saying they should separate county politics from constituency politics.

Mr Wamagata said that despite facing integrity issues, Mr Waititu’s candidature was not driven by his quest for to serve Kabete but a plot by Nairobi politicians to minimise political competition ahead of the 2017 General Election.

“It is a well calculated move that was intended to remove Waititu from the Nairobi politics. The Nairobi politicians who include MPs have been sending city politicians to their ancestral constituencies for their personal political ambitions in the 2017 campaigns,” said Mr Wamagata. He branded the former Water Assistant Minister an outsider.

Mr Kariuki said Mr Waititu wants to use the Kabete seat for his personal ambition to become Kiambu governor and that his election will not help the locals.
Isaiah Ndirangu (Party of Democratic Unity) raised questions about Mr Waititu’s integrity.

 Kiriro wa Ngugi (Democratic Party) said that people are free and welcome to contest for the seat, Mr Waititu is not because of integrity issues and because being an outsider, he may not be conversant with the issues affecting the Kabete people.

 Others in the race are Newton Njenga (National Vision Party), Kavore Kariuki (Narc Kenya), Moses Wachaga (independent) and Wilson Karanja (ODM).