- Ndeti told those calling her names over claims that her government was involved in graft to style up and get better things to do.
- The county chief said she had no time to respond to the few individuals trying to divert her attention.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has told off her political rivals linking her to corruption.
Ndeti told those calling her names over claims that her government was involved in graft to style up and get better things to do.
The county chief said she had no time to respond to the few individuals trying to divert her attention from her major role of delivering services to Machakos residents.
“Mimi sio maskini (I’m not poor), I worked very hard in my life,” Ndeti said.
She spoke at her Whitehouse in Machakos town on Friday where she hosted Muslim leaders.
Ndeti also dismissed claims by some politicians from the region that they funded her 2022 campaigns, stating he used her personal resources.
“I contested for the gubernatorial seat twice, in 2013 and 2017, before clinching the seat in 2022, my third contest. I campaigned with my own money,” Ndeti said.
She told Machakos residents to ignore her naysayers.
“Ignore those noisemakers. They started fighting me in 2006 when I was contesting for the Kathiani MP seat. I was told I’m Nigerian and if given the seat, I would take public funds to Nigeria. Did I take? I clinched the MP seat and worked,” Ndeti said.
Ndeti said the same people used political propaganda when she contested for the Machakos gubernatorial seat in 2013 and 2017. She lost the seat to CS Alfred Mutua both times.
“Don’t worry about people like those ones who talk about me when there is nothing to talk about because what you are isn’t what I’m, and God knows,” Ndeti said.
She said those talking ill of her were jealous of her exemplary performance in service delivery to residents.
“I have to listen to the majority. I will diligently serve you and by the end of five years, those critics shall have had heart attacks because I will deliver,” Ndeti said.
Ndeti said some of those who were fighting her politically are beneficiaries of graft and had acquired wealth through ghost projects in tenders from the Machakos government during previous regimes.
Deputy governor Francis Mwangangi told her boss to ignore her critics and focus on her job.
“Your excellency, I hear some people making a lot of noise outside here. There will be more noise, your problem is that you don’t know how to make noise but work,” Mwangangi said.
He said the governor had so far implemented more than 600 development projects using public funds despite the fact that she got more than Sh3 billion pending bills when she ascended to power in 2022.
“We won’t keep quiet. We have been silent for more than one-and-half years while people insult us, talking ill of the county government. Warushe, turushe. Waseme, tuseme because we know we are saying the truth,” Mwangangi said.