Waiguru joins politics, eyes Kirinyaga top seat

Former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru addresses press after recieving gold membership of The National Alliance from TNA secretary General Onyango Oloo. Waiguru is touted for the race to occupy the Kirinyaga governor seat in the 2017 general election. (PHOTO: WILLIS AWANDU/ STANDARD)

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has officially joined politics.

Waiguru announced her entry into politics yesterday, after formally joining The National Alliance (TNA) party. She declared she will vie for a top seat in Kirinyaga.

Waiguru made the announcement after being presented with a TNA golden membership certificate at the party’s headquarters in Nairobi.

“This is a major milestone. I am moving from being a technocrat to a politician. It is a major step and I am extremely excited,” Waiguru said.

“The certificate will enable me participate in party affairs, including the Jubilee coalition merger planned for next month,” she said.

In February, during a meeting that brought together all Jubilee aligned leaders from Nairobi, Waiguru announced she was in the race to unseat Governor Evans Kidero.

Jubilee Steering committee co-chairpersons Kiraitu Murungi and former Minister Noah Wekesa, led the meeting that lasted over five hours at a Nairobi hotel.

But Waiguru beat a hasty retreat yesterday, when put to task on what informed her change of mind. The former CS explained that she was then under pressure from a section of the city residents, to go for the top seat in Nairobi.

“I had not joined any political party then. I also made it clear that I was consulting the people close to me, elders and other leaders on the political direction I was to take,” Waiguru said.

“My decision has been guided by intense consultation. Joining TNA is the start of my political journey. I am ready now to serve the people of Kirinyaga County. It is good to start from where you come,” she said.