Senator Kennedy Mong’are launches bid for State House

Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong'are moments after a press conference in Nairobi. [Photo: David Njaaga/Standard]

Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong'are has announced his quest for the presidency in next year's elections.

During the launch of his election bid yesterday Mr Mong'are, who was elected on an ODM party ticket in the last elections, said he was banking on the goodwill of 28 small political parties under the banner Forum Coalition to back his effort.

Mong'are, who is yet to name the party he will use to advance his bid for State House, said the current political arithmetic had been oscillating between two prominent families since independence.

Dressed in a dark grey suit, black shirt, luminous green tie with matching pocket square and black pointed shoes, the soft-spoken senator said lack of a clear foreign policy had led to hundreds of Kenyans dying and left others languishing in foreign jails.

"My government will have a clear foreign policy so that no Kenyan is jailed outside and if that happens, we will recall that ambassador because that will mean there is nothing they are doing to improve Kenya's image," said Mong'are amid applause.

The High Court lawyer said should he be elected to the highest office in the land, he will make sure that the persistent problem of youth unemployment is reduced to manageable levels by setting up an Asset Register for every person who has reached the age of 18 years.

This, he argued, would ensure that the details of anyone aged 18 years were captured for proper planning in the job market.

He accused the Jubilee administration of doing little to create job opportunities since they came to power in 2013, adding that several companies had laid off employees while some had relocated to other countries.

COLLISION COURSE

The senator, who is now on a collision course with his party leader and Opposition chief Raila Odinga, was categorical that he was a man of means and would seek votes from Kenyans.

He said that the Kenyatta and Odinga families had held Kenyans in bondage and dictated the fate of the nation for the last 53 years.

"Unless Kenyans of goodwill stand up to be counted and reclaim our beloved country from the vampire-like bondage of two dynasty-like chiefdoms, the prophecy of the two will come to pass," said Mong'are.

"I am a man of means and I don't need any endorsements from the big shots. The big shots are Kenyans who have the power of the vote. I will seek those votes, because the votes are with Kenyans."

Making his statement of intent to fight it out with President Uhuru Kenyatta (Jubilee) and others who are yet to launch their bids, Mong'are accused the Jubilee administration of condoning corruption, which has permeated the very fabric of society.

He said should he form the government next year, he will ensure access to the national cake by all by ensuring that the devolved units have more money and are real centres of production as opposed to bastions of theft and plunder of public resources.

The senator said a country that was food insecure lacked dignity and demonstrated failed leadership.

To address the problem, he said he would ensure that the speculative nature of land - which has caused death and unending inter-community conflicts that are tied to the country's polls cycle - became a thing of the past.