Kenneth reverses stand on use of smart card in Jubilee primaries
Nairobi gubernatorial candidate Peter Kenneth (left) and Githurai MCA hopeful Dickson Muturi elbow their way through a crowd in Githurai 44 on March 26, 2017 to attend a service at Githurai Catholic Parish. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Kenneth said that his only worry is about credibility of the primaries.
- If he is elected as the new county boss he said he will decentralize all services to the constituency level.
Jubilee Party's Nairobi governor aspirant Peter Kenneth has now backed the use of the touted Sh20 party smart card in the April 21 nominations.
Mr Kenneth, who is running against Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko and former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru, said that his only worry concerns credibility of the primaries.
“Whether we are using the IEBC register, or the party nomination cards, we are ready. All we want is to have a process that is credible so that the winners proceed, and the losers back the winners,” Mr Kenneth said.
The 2013 presidential candidate had opposed the use of the Sh20 smart card, saying it might disenfranchise the members.
He was speaking at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Marurui, Roysambu constituency, accompanied by area MP Waihenya Ndirangu.
“Kenneth is the man for the job,” Mr Ndirangu said.
Mr Kenneth argued he is suitable to take over from Dr Evans Kidero.
“I had a lot of faith in Dr Kidero, because he was said to be a good manager. But now we know he wasn’t. He has disappointed all of us in the last four years,” the hopeful said.
If he is elected as the new county boss he said he will decentralize all services to the constituency level.
“We have fire engines that take ages to save expensive property that people have invested in. We need to decentralize that: have the offices of city planners and those in charge of garbage collection, and others, in the constituencies.”
Meanwhile, Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru has defended his move to quit the governorship race to defend his parliamentary seat.
Mr Waweru, who had wanted to vie for the position under Team Nairobi led by Mr Sonko, said that his new aim is to unite the two camps, Sonko’s and Kenneth’s.
“In this life, sacrifices have to be made. And you run to win. You never run to lose. As is now, I saw Jubilee was headed to defeat. So I took a step back and now I want to bring these people together,” he said.
He added that having four people run for the party's ticket was a bad strategy.
