Waititu win fires up Kabogo critics

Mr Ferdinand Waititu, the Jubilee Alliance Party candidate, addresses journalists at Wangige Primary School during Monday’s Kabete by-elections which he later won by a landslide. JEFF ANGOTE |

What you need to know:

  • Mr Waititu warned the governor that he will kick him out of office unless he changes his leadership style, reduces taxes and relocates the region’s headquarters from Thika to Kiambu town.
  • While following the tallying at Wangige Primary School, they kept singing and shouting anti-Kabogo songs and slogans.
  • Governor Kabogo has however rubbished the remarks by the MPs, saying he cannot be distracted by Mr Waititu or the sideshows by MPs.

Former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu’s victory in the Kabete by-election has given Kiambu Governor William Kabogo’s critics more energy to fight the county chief.

But it will be a bruising fight as the governor, who though did not respond to our queries yesterday, has in the past indicated that he is no pushover.

The MP-elect first remarks after the win were that Mr Kabogo should now brace for a political storm.

Mr Waititu warned the governor that he will kick him out of office unless he changes his leadership style, reduces taxes and relocates the region’s headquarters from Thika to Kiambu town.

MPs unhappy with Mr Kabogo did not hide their excitement after Mr Waititu took an early lead in the race which had attracted nine candidates.

While following the tallying at Wangige Primary School, they kept singing and shouting anti-Kabogo songs and slogans.

Immediately after the win, Mr Waititu said that while serving as the Kabete MP, he will be crisscrossing the county to sell his candidature.

This is  a move that could become a political nightmare for Mr Kabogo who is already grappling with  fights pitting him and a section of MPs and ward reps.

Governor Kabogo has however rubbished the remarks by the MPs, saying he cannot be distracted by Mr Waititu or the sideshows by MPs.

He doubted Mr Waititu’s chance of becoming the next Kiambu governor.

GOVERNOR'S PREDICTION

“I know and I have worked with him before. You can take everything else in the world but you cannot take away knowledge and history. I do not know who will be the next governor of Kiambu but I know who will not,” he told the Nation in a phone interview.

The governor however congratulated him for the Kabete by-election win as well as the JAP party for getting their first MP.

Mr Waititu, a street-wise politician became the first Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) MP after garnering 24, 444 votes out of the total 25, 436 votes cast (96.1%).

He was followed at a distant second by Mr Newton Njenga of the National Vision Party with 241 votes.