Waititu’s entry into Kiambu politics unsettles Kabogo

Governor William Kabogo and Jubilee Alliance Party Kabete Parliamentary seat candidate Ferdinand Waititu. There appears to be no love lost between the two despite being affiliated to the same party. [PHOTOS: KAMAU MAICHUHIE and JOHN KARUME/STANDARD]

Kiambu,Kenya: Although he denies it, Governor William Kabogo seems to be clearly uncomfortable with former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu’s foray into Kiambu politics.

Waititu, who is the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) flag bearer for the Kabete parliamentary seat, has stirred the hornet’s nest by indicating that he is gearing to take on Kabogo in the Kiambu gubernatorial contest in 2017.

Although Kabogo’s flamboyant political camp has said Waititu’s potential candidature has no effect on the incumbent’s chances for re-election, it is quite clear that the governor is uneasy with the former legislator’s presence.

Just this past weekend, the governor took the time to make a mockery of the former Embakasi MP’s political ambitions in Kabete. Not once but twice.

TALK DOWN

On Friday in Ruiru when he met ex-councillors from the area, Kabogo said Waititu’s nomination is an “embarrassment” and labelled the legislator an “outsider”.

Kabogo claimed Waititu does not have capacity to serve the people diligently because he is not conversant with the area he seeks to represent in Parliament including its needs and challenges.

“It is not practical that I, for example, come from Ruiru and I go vie in another constituency. It simply does not add up,” Kabogo said.

Then on Saturday while in Gatundu, Kabogo said Waititu should lose in the May 4 by-election because he is an “outsider who does not mean well for Kiambu especially when he talks about payment of fees and levies”.

Observers claim the fact that Kabogo has twice mentioned Waititu in public is a sign that he is concerned about the challenge in 2017.

On his part, Waititu has said he is content to carry the Kabete mandate for JAP until 2017 and that he does not need advice from anybody, adding that come 2017, he will seek to do the same for the whole of Kiambu.

“Come 2017, Kabogo will be a candidate like myself. It is the people of Kiambu who will know who to vote for as their governor. I will be banking on the development record I will have spearheaded in Kabete for the three years I will have served as MP,” he said.

Waititu has so far received support from Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa, his Thika counterpart Alice Ng’ang’a and Ngewa MCA Karungo wa Thangwa, who are known Kabogo critics, and who have said Waititu is the right person to face Kabogo in 2017.

Ichung’wa said the people of Kiambu are tired of bad leadership from Kabogo and are now looking for alternative leadership from whoever would be interested in the seat.

“I do not know who will be the governor of Kiambu come 2017 but I know who will not be,” Ichung’wa said.

He said the current governor has refused to listen to the people as pertains what development they want undertaken, adding that there is no tangible development, done by the county government, that can be felt on the ground.

EXISTING VACUUM

“Why is he launching projects done by the Government? It is because he himself has done nothing. Just last week, he launched a water project in Kikuyu funded by the Government,” Ichung’wa said.

Ng’ang’a said Kabogo is not mindful of the electorate giving an example of when he closed Madaraka market in Thika leading to millions of shillings being lost.

She said two weeks ago, Kabogo lied to residents when he said that he has lowered levies which is not the case since they are already gazetted charges adding that he has no powers to reverse them unless they are tabled in the floor of the house.

Both said Kabogo should be very worried since the people of Kiambu have already done away with him and are only waiting for 2017 to vote him out.

Karungo wa Thang’wa said Kabogo’s arrogance has created a vacuum in the county’s leadership especially at the governor’s office.

He said Waititu’s entry has given residents hope and that his nomination marks the beginning of a journey to get the county out of bad leadership.

He accused the governor of failing to implement motions and bills passed by the assembly adding that he has no respect for other elected leaders in the county since he has been calling them names.

However, Kabogo’s political advisor defended Kabogo’s sentiments on the suitability of Waititu for both the Kabete parliamentary and governor’s post.

“The more we hear a hullabaloo about Waititu’s candidature in Kiambu, the more we think of dry maize stocks blaze,” Kang'ethe said.

He claimed the governor’s sentiments on Waititu’s candidature are usually taken out of proportion while they are in reality only intended as chitchat with his constituents.

He, however, said Kabogo has pledged to support Waititu as the JAP candidate.