National Assembly Minority Leader Francis Nyenze is in the eye of political storm after he publicly endorsed President Uhuru Kenyatta for re-election.
Mr Nyenze who is defending the Kitui West parliamentary seat on a Wiper Party ticket said President Kenyatta deserves a second term in office due to his development record across the country.
In shocking comments that are likely to jolt the Opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa) political dominance in Ukambani, Mr Nyenze said those saying the President had not performed were peddling lies.
He also praised Mr Kenyatta’s Jubilee administration for a job well done in its efforts to empower special groups like the youth, women and the disabled and general development as outstanding.
“If somebody does well to you, you can’t forget. Can you forget those who have done well like Uhuru Kenyatta?” he said at Kauwi primary school in Kitui County during the launch of National Youth Service (NYS) programme in his constituency presided over by Youth Affairs cabinet secretary Sicily Kariuki.
SGR
Speaking in Kamba, he strongly defended Jubilee against Opposition claims that their performance was not good enough citing the Standard Gauge Railway as among major achievements.
“Let’s not be swayed by politics of empty rhetoric by those alleging President Uhuru hasn’t worked well. The truth is Uhuru has done a lot and we’ll elect those whose work can be seen” he said.
Mr Nyenze is the official leader of Opposition troops in parliament and the senior most elected member of the Wiper party which is an affiliate of Opposition coalition Nasa.
Having been nominated by Wiper to seek re-election as MP, his comments are seen as a serious affront and contradiction to the Nasa coalition’s efforts to dislodge Jubilee from power.
The endorsement drew angry condemnation from Wiper leaders who dismissed Mr Nyenze as a “political mercenary on hire” by Jubilee to rock the Nasa ship from within.
POLITICAL MERCENARY
Makeuni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior said Mr Nyenze’s comments had only served to expose to Ukambani voters and Kenyans at large the kind of leader he is – a double agent spoiling for his own party.
“We all can see the timing of this endorsement. Soon after securing the Wiper nomination certificate and clearance by IEBC…how come Mr Nyenze wasn’t bold enough to say that before party primaries?” Mr Kilonzo posed.
He said Kenyans were wise enough to discern the behind the scenes sponsored political maneuvers to derail Nasa presidential campaigns in its strongholds.
The Senator also questioned why he did not seek Jubilee ticket to run for re-election if he believed President Kenyatta deserved a second term saying he had set himself against voters who are determined to send Jubilee home.
DENY CLAIMS
Mr Nyenze denied the mercenary claims saying that he only thanked the President out of courtesy for creating 900 jobs for young people in his constituency.
“When I campaigned to be elected, I promised to get jobs for our youth. Those jobs could come from anywhere. I will continue to knock many more doors for my people” Mr Nyenze said.
Speaking at the same function, Kitui Senator David Musila who is running for Governor as an independent candidate, said he supported the youth empowerment programme because it was the cornerstone of his campaign.
Senator Musila said having quit the Wiper party to run as an independent candidate, he wasn’t aligned to any political party and urged voters to gauge his personal credentials and development record.
Ms Kariuki said the Jubilee regime was committed to empowering the youth, women and people with disability countrywide and told Nasa leaders to keep off the NYS programme.
“Today we are disbursing Sh6.5 million to the Women Enterprise Fund. Ours is actions and not empty rhetoric,” the CS said urging Kitui voters to support President Kenyatta’s re-election.
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