• Governor says Central people know politics too but are focussed on development first
• Central recently split into Tanga Tanga and Kieleweke teams, for and against DP Ruto, respectively
Central Kenya has no political vacuum, Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia has said.
Kimemia on Thursday said Central does not have room for petty politics "which hampers development" in the vote-rich region.
“As the chairman of the bloc which constitutes 10 counties, I have noticed there has been too much talk that insinuates there is a vacuum," he said. He spoke at the county headquarters in Ol Kalou where he launched the Huduma Namba registration drive for the county staff.
Kimemia said the governors in the block have maintained silence in the face of the political scramble for the region, "not because we don’t know politics, but because we were elected to develop our counties and the country".
He said it is wrong for elected leaders to start campaigning soon after elections, yet the electorate needs water and electricity among other things. These will help achieve the Big Four, he said.
“We (the governors) also have our manifestos and development plans to implement."
The Central bloc recently split into Tanga Tanga and Kieleweke bandwagons, one supporting DP William Ruto and the other against his presidential ambitions.
Political heavyweights including Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi have not been left behind in wooing the region.
Some MPs , like Gatundu South's Moses Kuria have declared their interest in the presidency.
The famous handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition chief Raila Odinga has aggravated the situation, causing disunity across the political divide. Kimemia said such disunity is not good for the country.
“As a Kenyan who oversaw the transition in this country, I feel Kenya is being taken in the wrong direction. I want to tell all the leaders who have been campaigning as if Kenya will fold tomorrow that Kenya shall continue to exist, hence they should first focus on development," he said.
At this point in time, the counties and the country have four or three and a half budgets to implement, which is a long and defining moment in politics, he said, adding that no one was elected by Kenyans in any capacity and told they wanted them to be president in 2022.
Kimemia said winning the presidency or any other elective position will be determined by individual leaders’ development scorecard, "there is no other magic".
“Only God knows who will be president."
(Edited by R.Wamochie)