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Peter Kenneth gets Murang’a businessmen’s endorsement for Nairobi gubernatorial seat

By MWANGI MUIRURI February 25th, 2017 2 min read

Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant, Peter Kenneth, has received the backing of Murang’a business community in Nairobi in his political quest.

Backers of the former Gatanga MP believe they hold a trump card that will enable him to dislodge Dr Evans Kidero from his Nairobi gubernatorial perch, or any other opposition candidate.

Murang’a business community in Nairobi Chairman Mr James Kanene said they are backing Mr Kenneth on the account that he is a son of Murang’a and also because he understands the pain of building a business empire.”

Speaking to the press in Murang’a on Thursday, Mr Kanene said Murang’a businessmen in Nairobi account for 15 per cent of the national revenues generated through taxation.

INTERNAL OPPOSITION

“Murang’a investors are all over Nairobi in real estate, entertainment, banking, transport, education and small scale enterprises economic sectors. During his tenure, Dr Kidero has failed to create a conducive environment for business to thrive,” he said.

“We are determined to have a Murang’a son ascend to power in Nairobi and we have a formidable war chest, goodwill and strategy to give us a win,” he added.

While within the Jubilee Party, Mr Kenneth is facing internal opposition from Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru and nominated MP Johnson Sakaja, one of his biggest backers is Starehe MP Maina Kamanda who also hails from Murang’a County.

Mr Kamanda, who initially supported Mr Waweru before Mr Kenneth entered the race, has reiterated his backing for Mr Kenneth.

“We have even better candidate in the name of Mr Kenneth. He is the one who will benefit from my efforts to remove Dr Kidero from Nairobi politics. Mr Kenneth inherits all the structures that I had put in place including new friendly voters in Nairobi,” Kamanda said.

POLITICAL DEBT

At the same time, former Maragua MP Elias Mbau has said Mr Kenneth is the most suited candidate from Mt Kenya region to succeed Mr Uhuru Kenyatta as the region’s political spokesman in the 2022 succession politics.

“Not necessarily for him to contest the presidency, but to represent the Mt Kenya region in the wheeler dealings of political haggling in representing our regional interests,” Mr Mbau said.

He also rubbished assertions by Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago that Mr Kenneth should not contest the presidency in 2022 since there is a political debt that the Mt Kenya region owes Deputy President William Ruto.

“We will enter into a fresh bargaining spree after President Kenyatta’s tenure expires,” he said.