NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 15 – The United Democratic Alliance’s candidate for the Nairobi gubernatorial by-election, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, has urged youths to shun violence in a statement condemning an attempted invasion of the party’s secretariat.
Bishop Wanjiru who termed the Thursday incident as sponsored, terming the chaos which she said were sponsored by detractors as outdated political antics which could drag the country behind.
The rowdy youths, four of whom were arrested, stormed UDA party Headquarters in Kilimani, allegedly demanding for money.
“Refuse to be misused. Those days of using machetes and other archaic objects to cause violence due to political differences are over. It is time to work and make a living. Let us work together,” Wanjiru urged.
UDA, which has declared its support for Deputy President William Ruto, rebranded from the Party of Development and Reform (PDR), currently in a coalition with the governing Jubilee Party.
Ruto endorsed Bishop Wanjiru for the governorship contest on Sunday and is also expected to support UDA candidates in three parliamentary races with Jubilee Party having pulled out of the contests in favour of opposition party candidates.
The Bishop said she is confident that she will succeed the former Governor Mike Sonko in the mini-poll slated for February 18, but which has been temporarily stayed, and called on her opponents to allow the political process take place peacefully
“They know majority of people are now following UDA and I am confident I will win this seat because I have shown my leadership before. I condemn with the strongest words possible any leader paying the youths to come and disrupt our offices claiming we owe them money yet we do not,” Wanjiru said.
About The Author
