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2017 KENYA ELECTIONS

IEBC clears Peter Kenneth, Miguna to seek Nairobi governorship

Former Gatanga lawmaker Peter Kenneth and lawyer Miguna Miguna were cleared Friday morning by Dr Eroo Mele, IEBC’s Returning Officer for the county/JEREMIAH WAKAYA

NAIROBI, Kenya, June 2 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cleared two more candidates to contest in the Nairobi gubernatorial race on August 8.

Former Gatanga lawmaker Peter Kenneth and lawyer Miguna Miguna were cleared Friday morning by Dr Eroo Mele, IEBC’s Returning Officer for the county.

In his speech after being given the go ahead, Kenneth said he was ready to face his opponents in the race while pledging to conduct an issue-based campaign.

“I think the people of Nairobi want good ideas, not acts of theatrics and disruptions. We’re very ready for this and we want to assure our opponents to be ready for what we’ll unleash in terms of campaigning and selling ideas to the people of Nairobi,” he said accompanied by his running mate, Dan Shikanda.

The former presidential contender who converted to the Jubilee Party from the Kenya National Congress and later ditched the ruling party after losing to Senator Mike Sonko in primaries vowed to articulate an agenda that will resonate well with city residents.

“As you can tell some of the ideas we’ve been talking about are being copied by our competitors. The good thing is that those copying don’t have the facts backing our manifestos. So we’ll release with a clear timeline what we’re going to do and when we will achieve it,” said Kenneth.

He said he will face Sonko at the ballot notwithstanding his endorsement by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto.

“I am in competition with Sonko and the seat in contest is the governorship and not the presidency. We want Nairobians to willingly elect a governor of choice who will work for them.”

Miguna on the other hand who resubmitted his papers Friday after being turned away on Thursday due to technicalities of the format in which his signatures were submitted to the electoral agency said he will beat his competitors who he described as “baskets of deplorables.”

Accompanied by his running mate business lady Caren Wanjiku, the former aide to opposition chief Raila Odinga also exuded confidence of winning the August 8 race after getting clearance to contest.

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“I have told the country before that our opponents comprise just one thing – a group of people who have used their positions of power to loot public resources,” he said.

He went on accusing the incumbent governor for mismanaging public resources in state agencies saying voters must send him packing.

“Kidero bankrupted Mumias Sugar Company and he has continued to loot the government and the county. The auditor general has said that he has looted more than Sh 100 billion,” he asserted while addressing the press soon after being cleared at the Kasarani Sports Centre.

He promised to transform the city by ensuring corruption is rooted out and job opportunities are created.

“We’re going to transform the city using our manifesto which is based on elimination of corruption, injecting the culture of integrity in public service and building infrastructure so that we can eradicate unemployment, traffic gridlock, filth in Nairobi and build humane affordable homes for everyone so that the city can prosper,” he said.

Miguna said he will not endorse any presidential candidate adding though that he will work with any president elected on August 8.

“I am running for the governorship of Nairobi and not the presidency and therefore I cannot dictate to Kenyans who they will elect. Whoever they elect; that will be my president.”

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