From Ganze MP to MCA: Inside Peter Safari Shehe political life
Former Ganze MP Peter Safari Shehe who was elected Jaribuni MCA in the just concluded election.
A former MP has shocked many residents of Kilifi County by seeking and winning a lower-ranking political seat.
Peter Safari Shehe was ousted as Ganze MP in 2017, and this year he contested and won the Jaribuni ward seat.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared him MCA-elect with 3,121 votes.
Mr Shehe, who was MP from 2013 to 2017, said he decided to contest the ward seat to lay the foundation for future political ambitions, promising to use the experience he gained during 11th Parliament to work for Jaribuni people.
He said he intends to seek a higher seat in future. “I learnt from my last political period how to deal with voters and listen to what they want,” said Mr Shehe (UDA).
He pledged to help enact legislation to improve the life of the common mwananchi.
“Many have been asking why I decided to drop my bid to contest as an MP, but what I can tell them is listen to your people. Where they need you to represent them they will say and a majority of the people asked me to go for the Jaribuni ward seat.”
Mr Shehe was elected Ganze MP in 2013 under the Federal Party of Kenya (FPK). He defended the seat in 2017 on a Jubilee ticket but lost to outgoing MP Teddy Mwambire (ODM).
After losing the seat, Mr Shehe moved to Switzerland with his family. He returned to Kenya barely four months before the elections and launched his campaign for the Jaribuni ward seat.
Every morning, Mr Shehe would invite different leaders to his compound for breakfast to seek advice and share his manifesto.
He did not hold any public rally during the campaign period.
When he was MP, Mr Shehe was accused by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) of corruption.
The EACC took Mr Shehe and his associates to court over alleged looting of cash from the Ganze Constituency Development Fund (CDF) amounting to Sh40 million between July 1, 2013 and June 20, 2014.
The charges related to the supply of materials for various CDF projects.
The matter is still ongoing.
