Nairobi governorship candidate Peter Kenneth now says he is neither a National Super Alliance nor Jubilee Party project. The former Gatanga MP and 2013 presidential aspirant dispelled rumours that he was being used by both parties to spoil votes for the main candidates in the race, saying that his was a quest to become the city chief under whatever circumstances.
During a series of rallies in the city President Uhuru Kenyatta spoke strongly for Jubilee’s candidates, including Mike Mbuvi Sonko for Governor. The President pointedly told Kenneth, who lost Jubilee party primaries for governor, that it was time to abandon his bid and support the winning team of Sonko-Igathe.
“I say to Peter, the people of Nairobi wanted Sonko. Let him get on with the job,” the President said. Adding, “Peter Kenneth, njoo tufanye kazi, kazi yako tuko nayo. Mji wa Nairobi wachia Mike Sonko ambaye watu walichagua.” (Peter Kenneth you should come and let us work together, we will give you a job. Leave the city to Senator Mike Sonko.
Not stepping down But Kenneth has in the recent past come out strongly and defended his right to be on the ballot and fighting off accusations that he wanted to divide Jubilee votes. During a campaign tour in Karen, Kenneth asked the president to let Nairobians decide their next governor. And yesterday in an interview on KTN News, Kenneth reiterated that he wants to be the city’s next governor.
“I am not a project and I have not been planted by anyone. I was in Jubilee Party about a month ago and we had a sham nomination and that is why I left because I still had a vision for Nairobi,” said Kenneth.
“If anything, the intention is to have Evans Kidero out of office because he has failed Nairobians for the past four years.” Kenneth shrugged off calls to step down in favour of the perceived leading candidates, saying that with less than a fortnight, he had scaled up his door-to-door campaigns.
He blamed the city’s problems such as water shortage and garbage menace on negligence and greed by the Kidero-led administration. He said a lack of investment in water infrastructure led to massive leakages. He also accused cartels of blocking water ways to some home areas and later selling it at a profit.
Water for all
“By installing of trackers we can ensure that no interruption of water and no leakages so that it reaches all households. This will be done within one year,” said Kenneth.
On Garbage he claimed the move by incumbent governor to privatise garbage collection had led to inefficiencies since it opened gateways to corruption. He added that garbage collection companies were collecting money both from the county government and the residents. He, however, promised to devolve collection services to scatter the cartels. “Nairobi can’t continue being the city of garbage and this is why we have embarrassing diseases such as cholera,” he said.
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President Uhuru disowns Peter Kenneth who vows to fight hard
