Waiguru’s quest for top county job stirs up race

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru’s entry into the race for the Kirinyaga governorship has shaken the region’s politics.

And the incumbent Joseph Ndathi is watching her moves with interest as Ms Waiguru is a threat to his re-election because of her profile.

Her entry has overshadowed the fact that there are other contenders in the race to unseat Mr Ndathi. They include Kirinyaga Central MP Gachoki Gitari and 2013 runners up Mureithi Kagai.

There are reports that former Metropolitan minister Njeru Githae, who is the current ambassador to the US, will also be in the race.

The battle for the county’s 264,395 votes will revolve around three key issues namely agriculture, healthcare and infrastructure.

The county comprises of Mwea (87,320 voters), the biggest rice producer in the country, Kirinyaga Central (59,898), Ndia (51,162) and Gichugu (66,015) constituencies, which produce tea, coffee and horticulture.

However, regionalism will be the driving force. Traditionally, Ndia and Gichugu blocs have been rivals and each vote for their candidate to a man.

Mwea has a diversified population that include Ndia, Gichugu and Kiambu natives and thus produces the swing vote.

Kirinyaga Central traditionally votes with Ndia as the constituency was hived off from the larger Ndia.

Any candidate who wins in either Ndia or Gichugu and gets support from Mwea will be home and dry.

“If they win the three, they will be governor by 7pm on election day,” said Mrs Wangui Ngirichi, a woman representative aspirant.

MY PORTFOLIO
That is why Ms Waiguru’s entry has complicated matters for Mr Ndathi. They two come from Gichugu, a bloc that the governor was counting on to retain his seat.

She also comes from Ngariama ward, the biggest in the constituency, which is traditionally very loyal to its “sons and daughters”.

“They have a “nika mwene” (we stick with our own) mentality, which may favour her,” added Mr Mureithi Kang’ara, the Tana Athi Water director and Mr Githae’s long-term campaigner and political ally.

But Ms Waiguru said she is not just counting on the ward vote.

“My appeal is also to the youth and women across the county. They know what I have done,” she said in an interview with the Saturday Nation.

Ms Waiguru has brought to the race strengths and weaknesses. 

She is a known brand name across the county and had projected herself as a performer who was kicked out by Jubilee enemies.

“I brought the Huduma Centre in Kirinyaga and it was during my tour of duty as a CS that I lobbied for the construction of the Kianyaga-Kiamutugu-Githure road,” she said.

She is also hinging her campaigns on empowerment of the youth and women through agriculture.

“The people of Kirinyaga will have the best health care. We will not be going without essentials in our hospitals,” she said.

When she received her TNA membership two weeks ago, her supporters asked her to visit Kirinyaga.

And when she showed up at Kerugoya’s Roswam Hotel and started her speech in Kiswahili, supporters urged her to switch to Kikuyu and address local issues. She did, to the applause of those gathered.

The residents had sent a clear message: that the race to be Kirinyaga’s next governor will revolve around local issues and only them will they make a choice.

“She has brought national attention to the race in Kirinyaga, which is good for us all,” said Ms Ngirichi.

GRAFT CLAIMS
Mr Githae, a former Ndia MP, who lost the TNA nomination to Mr Ndathi by 10,000 votes in 2013, has not confirmed or denied his candidature.

“That decision has not been made yet. If or when he wants to run, everybody will know,” said Mr Kang’ara.

But Ms Waiguru has to fight the tag that she is using the seat to cleanse her controversial past in the public service.

When she announced her candidature, online forums questioned her source of wealth and whether she would “pour cash in Kirinyaga”.

She resigned from her powerful Cabinet position in the wake of corruption allegations following the loss of Sh791 million from the National Youth Service.

Subsequent investigations by the Auditor-General show that the money that was lost runs into billions.

Josephine Kabura, one of the suspects charged with the Sh791 million loss, claimed in an affidavit that she was a proxy of Ms Waiguru, which the former CS denied.

The NYS scandal is a powerful weapon her opponents are likely to deploy against her.

“Some contestants’ reputations walk ahead of them. Their escapades are fresh in the minds of Kirinyaga people,” said Mr Ndathi, in reference to Ms Waiguru’s association with NYS cash theft scandal.

She has also come under heavy criticism for “the elitist and idealistic way” she is conducting politics.

“She must talk the peoples’ language, use their accent and empathise with their needs. We need to see her as one of us not someone who has come to Kirinyaga just because she wants a seat,” said Mr Kang’ara.

“She should also have consulted elders before making the move. The people of Kirinyaga love those who listen then decide,” said Kirinyaga Council of Elders chairman Cyrus Githaka.

THE LUCKY ONE

He said Ms Waiguru should have waited for Ndathi to finish her term or go for other seats like the Senate.

MPs interviewed by the Saturday Nation said they preferred not to comment. 

But if Ms Waiguru and Mr Ndathi split the Gichugu votes, the biggest benefactor would be Mr Gitari.

He has roots in Mwea but lives in Kirinyaga Central. The MP thus has the support of the larger 120,000 strong Ndia vote.

As a two term MP, he takes credit for building 10 new dispensaries, repairing 47 roads and paying licences for more than 1,148 boda boda operators.