Aspirants flock Kibra as campaigns intensify

Campaigns for the Kibra seat continue to intensify, with candidates visiting different areas to win over voters ahead of the November 7 by-election.

Jobs, sports and education topped the agenda for candidates, who also resorted to door-to-door campaigns for the parliamentary seat left vacant following the death of Ken Okoth.

Jubilee party candidate McDonald Mariga and Amani National Congress' Eliud Owalo attended church services yesterday in Lindi to woo supporters.

Mr Owalo was at Anduso PAG Church with party leader Musalia Mudavadi.

Mr Mariga, who was accompanied by gospel artiste Rufftone, first attended a service at Lindi Central PAG Church and later went to New World Revival Ministry Church.

Jubilee nominated MP Maina Kamanda led ODM’s Imran Okoth’s campaign by hosting a delegation of members from the Gikuyu community for a meeting with the candidate. Also present was Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati.

Mariga said it was the first time he was attending a church service in the constituency since he declared his candidature for the seat.

One of the strategies the Jubilee candidate employed was door-to-door engagement with residents and voters. He said he aimed to visit all corners of the constituency to get to know the residents' problems as well as to persuade them to vote for him.

“It is important to ensure that the youth of Kibra get jobs and women have businesses to sustain themselves. On environment, the drainage system needs to be worked on. I will ensure all this,” Mariga said.

He added that he would safeguard Okoth’s legacy to residents. “He (Okoth) valued education and knew its importance to his constituents, so we must continue in that line. He did well."

The former footballer pledged to make sports a priority, adding that he would use his connections in the sporting world to link talented youth with international teams.

“I have played with many people from Kibra and they have talent,” he said.

Owalo told the congregation that if elected MP he would streamline operations in the Kibra Constituency Development Fund (CDF) office.

“If I am elected, I will ensure that my relatives are not employed at the CDF office but competent people are employed so that they serve the people of Kibra well,” he said.

Owalo said job creation and education would top his agenda to ensure youths become independent.

“For those who fail to get jobs, we will enroll them in TVET institutions to learn carpentry and electrical training, and tailoring and hairdressing for the ladies."

He promised to build sports and talent development centres for those who want to explore and nurture their talents. He also vowed to deal with land grabbing in Toi and the hawkers' market.

"We will also get buses for people who have funerals and need to transport the bodies home."