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2017 KENYA ELECTIONS

Kenneth quits Jubilee to run against Sonko, Kidero as independent

He was however unequivocal in his support of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election and gave his reason for exiting the Jubilee Party as “the sham primary” that saw Mike Sonko emerge winner/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 19 – Peter Kenneth on Friday quit the Jubilee Party and announced that he will contest the Nairobi gubernatorial seat as an independent candidate.

He was however unequivocal in his support of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election and gave his reason for exiting the Jubilee Party as “the sham primary” that saw Mike Sonko emerge winner.

Polycarp Igathe’s selection as Sonko’s running mate, Kenneth added, did not suddenly make him qualified to run the capital city.

“You cannot have a figure head govern Nairobi.”

He also took a swipe at the incumbent Evans Kidero who will be seeking re-election on an Orange Democratic Movement ticket, categorising him as a failure.

“Despite being allocated over a Sh100 million in the last four years, hardly very few Nairobians can show what he has done for it.”

“In the same vein, the Nairobi Senator should have been the oversight boss in Nairobi he too failed in his duties to oversight Governor Kidero and as a result we have continuous failure of services that are so much required by the people of Nairobi,” he said.

The 2013 presidential candidate said his candidature gives Nairobi residents a chief executive who will serve with passion, integrity and de-link politics with managerial capacities.

He said Nairobi deserves an alternative from incumbent Governor Kidero and Sonko who he said had failed in transforming the city.

“We know with their support (of city residents), we can lead them with better choices, rather than the current choice they have of electing between the bad and the ugly,” Kenneth stated.

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“It would be in the best interest of Nairobians to decide who amongst the candidates that are there will best serve their interests, by fighting those cartels, by being sincere and by delivering the services to them. Remember I grew up in this city when services were working; so I also know it’s possible and doable.”

Among the key highlights in Kenneth’s vision will be to decentralise key services such as fire fighting services, health services, revenue services and garbage collection services from the City Hall to the constituencies.

“I will ensure that all the garbage that is in Nairobi is cleaned within three month of getting into office, and that is on a short term basis as we work to ensure that the garbage is collected on a weekly basis,” he said.

He said he will rehabilitate health services within the first 12 months of being the Governor of Nairobi.

On traffic congestion with the city, Kenneth said he will rely on the use of roundabouts and underpasses within the first 18 months of being governor.

He pledged to have light-rail services in place within the first three years of being governor.

On affordable housing, Kenneth chose to speak to those who residing in council houses which are due for demolition as the national and county government look to modernise the dilapidated and historic estates with high-rise apartments.

Kenneth said the modernisation will be done in a humane and consultative way with the current owners.

” We will undertake the urban renewal with their minds and hearts at the centre of it; no one should be chased from their current dwelling to make way for developments when they are not taken care of,” he said.

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Kenneth, who is a banker by profession, has previously served as a two-term MP former Gatanga MP and assistant minister.

He has also served as Chairman of the Kenya Football Federation and the Managing Director at the Kenya Re Company.

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