Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo has dispelled rumours that he is being fronted for a Cabinet Secretary position by the Kenya Kwanza so as to shelve his bid for governorship.
He termed the rumour as political propaganda, which claims he had agreed with the Deputy President William Ruto that he drops his gubernatorial ambition for a CS post.
Kabogo maintained he is in the Kiambu governorship race and that he is only employable by the electorate not an individual.
The former governor spoke on Wednesday when he was cleared by the Tujibebe Wakenya Party election board to run for the post.
“I am very upset when I hear such things. I am not employable. I cannot be hired for an eight to five job, I can only be hired by ‘Wanjiku’ through the ballot,” he said.
Kabogo said he was ready for a faceoff with his competitors regardless of their party affiliations.
“The field is open for anyone despite your party affiliation therefore I am vying despite being in Kenya Kwanza and every other candidate is welcome in the competition,” he said.
Kabogo will face Senator Kimani Wamatangi who clinched the Kiambu UDA ticket, Mwende Gatabaki (independent), Wainaina wa Jungle (independent) and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (Chama Cha Kazi).
Others are incumbent Governor James Nyoro (Jubilee) and former Kiambu Women Representative Ann Nyokabi Gathecha (Jubilee).
The former governor said if elected as Kiambu governor on August 9 general elections, he will serve his term and then vie for the Presidency.
“I am optimistic that I will win the governorship in Kiambu so that we can finish the great work that we started and then I can go for Presidency from there,” Kabogo said.
He added that the board handled all matters of the Tujibebe Wakenya party amicably and that he faced no competitor therein.
“I am happy because the party has done good work on vetting aspirants and they are satisfied that I am qualified to run. This party has no shortcuts because I had to appear before it with all my papers,” he said.
Tujibebe Party elections board chairperson Lucy Kamau said the nomination exercise was successful and they may issue certificates to the winners on Friday.
“We had 350 applications and 250 turned up for the interviews and verifications. We only did verifications for those who didn’t have opponents but interviewed people where there was openness,” Kamau said.
She added, “in other instances, the aspirants would welcome negotiated democracy and reach a consensus to support one candidate to carry our flag for either MCA or MP positions.”
-Edited by SKanyara
