Kabete people an embarrassment for electing Waititu, says William Kabogo

Kiambu, Kenya: Kiambu Governor William Kabogo has said Kabete constituents are an embarrassment to the county for nominating Ferdinand Waititu as the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) flag bearer in the May 4 by-election despite his being "an outsider."

Speaking in Ruiru town on Friday where he had attended a meeting convened by former councillors from Kiambu, Kabogo said Waititu was an outsider who did not deserve nomination to run in the forthcoming mini-poll.

He said Waititu did not have the capacity to serve the people diligently since he was not even conversant with the area he was seeking to represent in parliament including its needs and challenges.

"It is not practical that I, for example, come from Ruiru and went to vie in another constituency somewhere else. It simply does not add up," said Kabogo.

The governor said the people of Kabete made a mistake in making their choice. He however added the people were at liberty to elect whoever they wanted to represent them.

He termed Waititu as the least suited for the seat since he was an outsider who did not even understand what the challenges facing the people were.

Kabogo downplayed Waititu's recent announcement that he would challenge him for the governorship position in the 2017 General Election saying he was open and ready for competition.

He however cautioned the former Embakasi MP saying Kiambu politics was very much different from that of Nairobi, adding he should not expect a smooth ride since the incumbent was a seasoned politician who clearly knew how to play politics.

"He has lived in Embakasi where he was also a leader for a very long time and now wants to seek an elective position here. What does he know about Kiambu? He is an outsider," Kabogo said.

Kabogo said Waititu is a project of the people who are unhappy with his sound leadership which has managed to seal loopholes used to siphon money from the area residents.

On Friday afternoon, Kabogo and Waititu faced off in Juja where they had both accompanied President Uhuru Kenyatta to mark celebrations of 20 years of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

After he finished addressing the people at Juja trading centre where he had made a stop-over, President Uhuru Kenyatta invited Waititu and handed him the micro-phone to greet the people.

The parliamentary seat aspirant said he was overwhelmed by the support he had received from the people of Kabete and Kiambu at large adding he would not let them down.

 

"I am confident of winning the Kabete parliamentary seat in the up-coming by-election and subsequently be your governor come 2017,"Waititu told the cheering crowd.

Thika MP Alice Ng'ang'a, one of Kabogo's fiercest critics and who is now supporting Waititu bid for Kabete parliamentary seat and Kiambu governorship in 2017, said Kabogo should brace for tough times ahead.

 "The battle lines have now been clearly drawn and there is no turning back. I am calling on the governor to smell the coffee. We are determined to bring change and sanity in Kiambu by ensuring Waititu becomes the next governor come 2017,"said Ms Ng'ang'a.

Speaking a day after the Kabete Jap primaries, Ms Ng'ang'a said the entry of Waititu would give Kiambu a high octane gubernatorial contest in 2017 adding: "You know I like such kind of politics."

So far Waititu is enjoying the support of area MPs who have been critical of the Governor who include Juja's Francis Waititu, Kimani Ichungw'a(Kikuyu), Kigo Njenga(Gatundu North and Ms Ng'ang'a.

Kabogo prides himself in leading the most financially footed county largely through efficient collection of rates and levies in a county with vibrant townships at Thika, Kiambu, Ruiru, Banana (Karuri), Juja, Githunguri and Kikuyu as well as many peri-urban areas neighbouring the capital city of Nairobi.

But his government's popularity, has taken a hit in recent days with a feeling that it has imposed high charges on traders and stringent conditions on constructions on the thousands of residential and commercial plots that were acquired on the basis of land buying companies share certificates awaiting issuance of title deeds.

Waititu on the other hand is seen as a pro-poor and likely to give a ray of hope to small scale traders and plot owners facing the title deeds quandary. It is likely that each politician will seek to exploit his strengths and exaggerate the weakness of their rivals.