Political leaders should let Kenyans exercise their democratic right to elect leaders of their choice on August 8, Kiambu Governor William Kabogo has said.
“It is of no reason to have politicians impose leaders on the electorate because of party inclinations. The people should choose leaders out of their own will and not through coercion or luring,” he said.
Kabogo is running for reelection as an independent after losing to Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu in the April 25 Jubilee primaries, which he claimed were marred by massive irregularities.
Kabogo has maintained he supports President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reelection.
He urged leaders to stop imposing aspirants on the electorate based on political affiliation.
“The party nominations were marred by massive irregularities throughout the country, and that is why up to now some areas do not have a candidate yet, due to disputes. Leaders should urge the electorate to choose leaders out of their own goodwill and not party inclinations,” Kabogo said.
“At the end of the day, the people will weigh the performance of the politicians, interrogate their manifestos and make the decision on the secret ballot paper. We should at least let that choice be theirs.”
Kabogo is the chairman of the Kenya Independent Candidates Association. This year’s election has attracted the highest number of independent candidates—more than 4,000—who lost or were allegedly rigged out in the party nominations.
NASA has openly asked the electorate not to vote for independent candidates and instead urged them to adopt the six-piece mode of voting.
A six-piece or straight-ticket vote means voters elect all candidates from a single party, not parties and not independents.
