NAIROBI Kenya, May 4 – Kabete MP-elect Ferdinand Waititu says his victory in Monday’s by-election has paved way for his quest to become the Governor of Kiambu County.
Waititu said this after he clinched the seat in a landslide victory against eight other competitors, where he garnered 24,228 votes with National Vision Party candidate George Waiguru coming a distant second with 268 votes.
The former Embakasi legislator vowed to use the two years before the next General Election to push forward the late MP George Muchai’s development agenda.
“Work will start on Wednesday and immediately I will start focusing on your challenges,” he told jubilant youths who had impatiently waited for the outcome to be announced by the Returning Officer.
“I will not disappoint you…but the journey has started. We will push on until we get into Kiambu town (Governor’s office).
Waititu and six other competitors were not registered in the constituency.
He made a comeback to the National Assembly after winning the by-election occasioned by the death of Muchai, who was killed alongside his aides after assassins opened fire on his vehicle on Nairobi’s Kenyatta Avenue.
Cheers rent the air when he was announced the winner with his supporters singing anti-Kiambu County Government slogans.
“Make sure the Governor reduces the rates being paid by vendors…we also want jobs,” the supporters said.
Legislators from the Jubilee coalition largely from Kiambu County welcomed his victory and the first political seat for the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP), the party President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to use in 2017.
“We want to tell our Governor goodbye…we have our father now,” Thika Member of Parliament Alica Ng’ang’a said.
Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichung’wah on his part said Waititu’s victory will help them push their Governor to deliver to the residents of the County.
“We have appealed for too long…we now demand for our rights,” he said.
National Assembly Leader of Majority Aden Duale said Waititu’s come back to active politics will energize the Jubilee coalition in its bid to defend its agenda in the country.
“Our Captain (President Kenyatta) is happy now and (Waititu) has now recovered from his injury (2013 defeat)…the writing is on the wall,” he stated. “He is one of the serious players in the Jubilee coalition.”
-capitalfm.co.ke
