According to Sonko, his regime will ensure corruption in the county government is weeded out and that city residents get the services they deserve/JEREMIAH WAKAYA
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 17 – The Jubilee Party gubernatorial nominee for Nairobi – Senator Mike Sonko – has formally unveiled Vivo Energy Chief Executive Officer Polycarp Igathe as his running mate for the August 8 contest.
Sonko who was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto made the formal announcement at the party headquarters on Wednesday, a day after disclosing that Igathe had been selected as his deputy in the forthcoming General Election.
“In order to ensure, policy, development and political affairs of the county are run effectively and efficiently, I have brought on board a technocrat who will work alongside other county professionals to deliver on our mandate,” Sonko said at a press briefing also graced by Igathe.
“After weeks of consultations, the man who will deputize me at City Hall is Polycarp Igathe,” he declared.
According to Sonko, his regime will ensure corruption in the county government is weeded out and that city residents get the services they deserve.
Sonko decried the state of county roads and garbage collection which he said has gone from bad to worse under Governor Evans Kidero’s watch.
“I undertake to restore the cleanliness and glory of the city under the then status, which has totally eroded, and I shall occasionally be making spot checks to ensure this is achieved and this will also include employment opportunities to the unemployed youth who will be given priority in terms of job opportunities to fulfil this task,” he said.
He said that his quest to contest for the city’s top job was propelled by the sheer demand from residents who from time to time asked him to intervene in cases of land grabbing, misallocation and misuse of county funds and corruption.
“This is what has given me the flare to vie for Governors seat as I believe during my tenure as the senator largely I have been like the de facto governor,” he argued.
“Whilst I do not wish to play politics of slander and mudslinging, it is inescapable to say that the incumbent has totally failed the city residents in terms of service delivery,” he added.
Sonko promised an issue-based manifesto that will focus on alienating the pains of Nairobians as opposed to politics saying corruption will not be entertained under his watch.
“As you will see from our manifesto, which we will be unveiling shortly, our agenda for, this county is issue based and will be anchored on good governance, transparency and I shall not entertain any form of corruption in whichever form,” he promised.
The Jubilee nominee pointed an accusing finger at Kidero’s administration for failing to tame county inspectorate officers who have been blamed for harassing and extorting small-scale traders.
Under his administration, Sonko said the structure of the County Inspectorate will be re-evaluated to align it to what he described as a “civilized manner of conducting business.”
“The menace of harassment by city askaris during our tenure as your Agovernor will be a thing of the past,” he pledged.
He undertook to cure Nairobi’s perennial water scarcity through construction of more dams to enhance water supply in the city.
In his acceptance speech, Igathe pledged to work closely with Sonko to deliver on a manifesto to be unveiled soon.
“Our mission is simple: to make Nairobi clean and bright, safe and secure, liable and hospitable and make Nairobi the true gateway and door to our great motherland,” Igathe said.
“I represent all small, medium and big business interests who know this city accounts for 60 per cent of the country’s the Gross Domestic Product. It cannot be left to people who have no clue,” he added.
Ruto commended the Sonko-Igathe alliance which he described as a dynamic duo amid cheers from party stalwarts among them National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and Senatorial nominee Johnson Sakaja.
“I can say without fear of any contradiction that under the leadership of these great gentlemen we have a winning ticket for this great city of Nairobi. This city will have the most sensitive people centred leadership that we have been looking for,” Ruto said.
He exuded confidence in the pair assuring them of the party’s support to deliver Jubilee’s aspirations for the county.
Further, he called upon Nairobi residents to rally behind the two saying they had the “right connection and partnership to ensure Nairobi become the city in the sun again.”
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