Nairobi News

Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth now claims Deputy President William Ruto rigged him out of the Jubilee party primaries in favour of Senator Mike Sonko.

Mr Kenneth alleged that the Deputy President camped at the party headquarters during the duration of the nominations from where he schemed the rigging.

“We did not lose the Jubilee party nominations because my opponent was assisted by somebody high up in the Party hierarchy,” he said.

“Our opponent was assisted by somebody who wanted to cut me to size politically…and let’s not cheat ourselves, that person is Mr Ruto.”

TOWN HALL-STYLE MEETING

Mr Kenneth, who is contesting the Nairobi gubernatorial seat as an independent candidate, was speaking when he held a town hall-style meeting in Mlango Kubwa area of Mathare constituency on Tuesday.

He told a crowd at Pequinoninos Hall the DP had camped at the Jubilee Party headquarters from where he masterminded the rigging in which supporters of his opponents voted for multiple times.

“The ensured they voted twice, thrice, ten times, and the worst case was where an individual voted a record 51 times,” he said.

Despite the setback, the former MP assured his supporters that his vision for a better city remained strong and told Mr Sonko that he has no capacity to run the city.

On Sunday, Senator Sonkosaid he was willing to work with Mr Kenneth and pleaded with him to join the Jubilee campaign team.

But Mr Kenneth flatly rejected the call.

‘BRAINS REMAIN THE SAME’

“Mr Sonko knows he can’t run this city that is why he has acquired a new image of donning suits every day. He may have a new suit everyday but his brains and thinking remain the same.”

He added: “Even with new suits, Mr Sonko has not changed; he is merely hiding behind those suits.”

Mr Kenneth, who contested the 2013 presidential election and lost, warned voters in Nairobi that appearances is not everything and urged them to vote for leaders who will work and deliver services.

Mr Kenneth further laughed off the war between Senator Sonko and governor Kidero, claiming it was a dishonest feud that emanates from a deal gone sour.

“They worked together, ate together and only fell out after they disagreed on a deal. This is why they are on the separate paths.”

He particularly warned the people of Nairobi against reelecting the governor who he maintains had failed.

He told the crowd that Dr Kidero has received more than Sh100 billion in the last four years of the devolved government and challenged the residents to demand from him what he had done with the funds.

‘SCORED AN F’

“If you know somebody has failed, he has scored an ‘F’ and you still reelect him, then you are the worst failure,” he said.

Mr Kenneth promised to rehabilitate health centres, public schools and reduce single permit fees on such business as salon as a way of promoting small scale enterprises.

He will also create fire stations in every of the 17 constituencies in the city and devolve services to all the 17 sub counties so as to create jobs and empower youths.

“Every sub county will remain with the taxes it collects so as it promotes its own social services like repairing drainage, roads and sewerage.”