Nairobi Debate: Hanging the corrupt to end graft dominates discussion
The question of eradicating corruption dominated discussions during the Nairobi gubernatorial debate at the Catholic University of East Africa on Monday evening, with one candidate saying he supports the idea of hanging the corrupt.
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Kenneth Nyamwamu said that the biggest challenge that is facing the county is corruption, which calls for drastic eradication mechanisms.
Mr Nyamwamu said that he supports the Roots Party presidential candidate Prof George Wajackoya’s idea of hanging those implicated in corruption cases.
“I agree, in fact, I would like Wajackoyah to be president so that we can hang every one of these people because we just dance around this issue, nobody is held accountable,” Mr Nyamwamu said.
Without mentioning names, Mr Nyamwamu said also alleged that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cleared some of the candidates yet they are corrupt.
“We have a gubernatorial candidate that has been cleared with fake papers… How do we expect to fight corruption when we do not do anything about it? For me, the solution is to go Prof Wajackoyah way, if you are corrupt, we send you to the gallows,” he said.
On the other hand, Ms Nancy Wambui, who is running on a Usawa party ticket said that she will deal with corruption by ensuring the management of the city is mult-racial.
“In my government, I will have a good number of white people, a good number of Somalis, a good number of Indians, and all of us together,” she said.
According to Ms Wambui, having people of different colours managing the city will seal loopholes of corruption.
The Independent candidate Ms Esther Waringa also said that she will deal with corruption by doing away with the cartels.
“I’m going to streamline the tender awarding process, by gazetting very project that is going to be undertaken by the county government, giving feedback on who has been awarded, how much is the project going to cost and at the expected duration of the project.”
Four candidates participated in the first tier of the debate with the two front runners Senator Johnson Sakaja and Polycarp Igathe expected to engage the panel and audience in the second tier of the debate.