The TV debate was held at the Strathmore University, Nairobi.
The assurance was made on Friday night by Igathe during a Deputy Governors candidates’ debate TV from Strathmore University, where he asked city residents to reject the incumbent Governor Evans Kidero over accountability among other issues.
“What Mike Mbuvi Sonko want to do is to implement a metropolitan decongestion plan. Which is a ten points plan creating unidirectional traffic, creating park and ride stations and removing on street parking. The reason why you publish a manifesto in a political system is so that you can hold us accountable. Our competitors don’t have one, 10 days to the election.”
He committed to ensuring they honour their promise to, “reclaim grabbed land that belongs to hawkers. After reclamation, we shall construct modern, open air markets.”
To ensure that the more than 50 percent of City residents who walk to and from work on a daily basis are comfortable, he said they will bring a sidewalk revolution in this city that will ensure that every major and minor road has a sidewalk for the pedestrians.
Igathe defended his boss against claims that he intends to convert a section of Uhuru Park to a parking lot.
“We have to design new routes to facilitate a free flow of transport in the city and its environs,” he said.
“We have a proposal on how to address the issue of hawkers versus shop owners. We use the Bangkok, Thailand model where we close specific streets and allow hawkers to sell their wares. This will be done on specific times say from 6pm to midnight and weekends. This will be done in consultation with the other traders and road users.”
Nairobi Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke, however, defended his boss saying lack of sufficient funds has been their major hindrance in developing the region’s largest city but noted that they had made some strides.
“When we came into power, we found Nairobi in a hole full of cartels. Nairobi had never grown without a plan. The first thing we did under the leadership of Governor Kidero was to put together the first integrated master plan in the history of this country,” Muke said.
“The plan integrated development control which is where buildings and businesses are going to be built, water, sewer, solid waste management , electricity and fibre network to ensure from now going forward we have a city that is in order.”
Peter Kenneth’s deputy Governor Dan Shikanda was also present, who said they present fresh leadership and ideas since their competitors have been in power and “failed to deliver.”
“When they inherited Nairobi, yes there were challenges, but with devolution, we had an opportunity to actually realize the dream of this city and this country. They missed out the opportunity and that is why some of us are here to kick them out of the office,” Shikanda asserted.
He said Kidero raised taxes too high for small businesses to thrive.
Miguna Miguna’s deputy candidate Karen Wangenye did not honour the invitation. She has since pulled out of the race.
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