This is our promise, Juja MP aspirants speak
What you need to know:
- The Juja by-election slated for May 18, has attracted a number of women angling to represent the constituency in the August House.
- Leading the pack is Susan Njeri Waititu, the widow to the late MP. She will fly the Jubilee ticket which she clinched in the party primaries last weekend.
- Others are Ms Dorcas Wanjiru Chege who is vying on a Kanu ticket and Ms Eunice Wanjiru Wamugo vying on The New Democrats (TND) party ticket.
The Juja by-election slated for May 18, has attracted a number of women angling to represent the constituency in the August House.
The seat fell vacant following the death of MP Francis Munyua Waititu who succumbed to brain cancer on February 22, while receiving treatment in a Nairobi hospital.
Leading the pack is Susan Njeri Waititu, the widow to the late MP. She will fly the Jubilee ticket which she clinched in the party primaries last weekend.
Other women in the race are Ms Dorcas Wanjiru Chege who is vying on a Kanu ticket and Ms Eunice Wanjiru Wamugo vying on The New Democrats (TND) party ticket.
Ms Waititu garnered 1,596 votes against her closest competitor Dr Joseph Ng’ang’a a former education CEC in Kiambu County, who came a distant second with 889 votes.
Speaking in Juja, Ms Waititu said she would continue with the development agenda initiated by her late husband and ensure the work he started is completed if elected to parliament.
Key on the late Munyua’s development agenda was education, security and infrastructure. He is credited with completing the construction of several schools and building a few others before he got ill.
Husband’s brainchild
Ms Waititu said top on her priority will be to lobby for the construction of a cancer centre in Juja, an initiative that was late husband’s brainchild.
“He had a vision to build up a cancer centre in Juja that will help vulnerable Kenyans struggling to manage cancer. I will see to it that we lobby the necessary support and ensure his dream is fulfilled,” said Ms Waititu.
Ms Chege on her part, told nation.africa that with only one year left to the next general election, she will be seeking to finish the projects started by the late MP.
She said she would also lobby the national government to tarmac the Juja Farm Road and other roads in the constituency that have remained impassable for years.
She said she would also lobby for an increase in the constituency allocation of Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) and Youth Enterprise Fund to ensure more women and youth benefit.
“My objective is to see a better Juja where people will enjoy better roads, women and youth are economically empowered and there are better education standards,” she said.
This is the second time Ms Chege is trying her luck on the seat, having vied for the first time in 2017, coming third after late MP and George Koimbori who was second.
Enhance security
“I have a lot of hope that the people of Juja will give me the opportunity to represent them in Parliament so that we can take the area to the next level in terms of development. I want to assure them that I will not let them down if they give me that chance,” she added.
TND’s Ms Wamugo’s top priority if elected will be to enhance security in the area, improve infrastructure and ensure free and fair bursary distribution.
She also seeks to help come up with a fund for men above 35 years to start business and investment ventures. Also on her top list is youth, women empowerment and improvement of drainage and sewer line systems in the area.
The three women will square it out with Mr Koimburi of People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) and Kennedy Gachuma who is vying on the National Liberal Party (NLP) ticket and four other aspirants who are running as independents.
