The Mountain Journal
Kiambu County Assembly Speaker Stephen Ndicho is a man on the
spot after his name has been floated as one of the leaders likely to be in the
race for the gubernatorial seat.
Although he is
yet to declare his interest in the battle for the county’s top seat, Ndicho’s
name has featured prominently in public and social media platforms as among a
growing list of personalities eyeing the seat.
Should he throw
his hat in the ring, the Speaker will be contesting against the incumbent James
Nyoro, Senator Kimani Wamatangi, Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina ‘Jungle’,
former Governor William Kabogo and a host of others.
As leader of the
County Assembly, Ndicho is the third I’m command in the county hierarchy after
Nyoro and his Deputy Joyce Ngugi. His possible candidature has generated debate
and excitement among Kiambu residents and political observers.
The speaker said he has not made any decision about his future plans yet,
but disclosed that he has been approached by friends and people from different
spheres of life, many of them prevailing on him to go for the governorship or
the senatorial position currently held by Wamatangi.
“I don’t
want to involve myself in this because I believe it is still too early to
declare whether I will vie for any seat. In fact it has come to me as a
surprise that many people have been asking whether I will be contesting for the
governorship, but that is not my priority at the moment,” the Speaker
said when reached for comments.
He added that
his main focus for now is to execute his mandate of overseeing affairs of the
county assembly which he has served since 2017. Ndicho became the third Speaker
for Kiambu after Gathii Irungu and Nick Ndichu.
moment my hands are full and my focus is to preside over the legislative arm of
the county government and help Governor Nyoro achieve
his goals,” the Speaker said.
He was
instrumental in the ouster of Waititu whose impeachment by the county assembly
in 2019 was endorsed by the Senate, effectively sealing his fate. The former
governor faces an unresolved graft case in court and is unlikely to seek any
elective post.
Ndicho who is a
former two-term MP for the then Juja constituency which was later split three
times to create Thika Town, Juja and Ruiru constituencies had vied for the
Kiambu Senator seat in 2013, losing to Wamatangi who captured the seat for the
first time.
subsequent 2017 elections, he declined to contest any seat and instead teamed
up with the ‘United 4 Kiambu’ team which had the now impeached Governor
Ferdinand Waititu ‘Babayao’ as its flag bearer and Nyoro as his running mate.
The formidable
group also made up of gubernatorial hopefuls Rev David Ngari ‘Gakuyo’, the late
Aquiline Njoki and John Mugwe and which was enjoying euphoric support from the
public, went on to trounce Kabogo and form government.
credited with presiding over the Kiambu county assembly that has enacted a
series of laws and statutes affecting the agricultural, business and public
administration sectors.
So far, among
those eying the gubernatorial seat, Nyoro and Wainaina have been the most
visible on the ground and at times even exchanging accusations over who takes
credit for certain government projects.
In Thika town,
Wainaina and the Governor have locked horns on several occasions regarding the
re-carpeting of roads which the legislator claims was being done by the
national government under Kenya Rural Roads Authority while the county boss
insists they are done by his administration.
Governor Nyoro has embarked on an unparalleled development blitz, launching
various projects across the county including infrastructure, health and
agricultural sectors.
One of Nyoro’s
major commitments is to make Thika, Kiambu County’s largest and most populous
town, Kenya’s sixth city.
The Governor
says the town, once referred to as the ‘Birmingham of Kenya’ on account of its
vast growth in industries is gearing to become the country’s sixth city after
Nakuru which attained the status last year following an approval by the Senate.
Other cities include Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret.
“My
administration, in conjunction with the national government, is laying out the
necessary infrastructural development in order to attain the goal,” Nyoro
said recently after launching a Covid-19 mass vaccination exercise and the
construction of a road in Kisii Estate, Thika town.
He added that
plans are already underway to construct an international airport near the 12th
Engineers Battalion on land surrendered by Del Monte Ltd, which is one of the
requirements for a town to become a city.
Besides the
airport plan, the governor says his government is working to establish an
elaborate transport network, reliable power and sufficient water supply in
Thika and other urban areas.
The county chief
is credited for rejuvenating the agricultural and health sectors as well as
building and grading roads in the county.
Wainaina who is
a first-term legislator has an unmatched development track record in Thika
constituency where among other achievements he has done facelifting of all the
primary schools besides building roads and connecting electricity and street
lighting.
After serving
two terms as Kiambu Senator, Wamatangi who is the Senate Chief Whip and Chair
of the Roads and Infrastructure Committee has a wealth of experience in public
administration and governance.
expected to make a stab for the post he lost to Waititu although he’s yet to
declare his interest publicly.
Although the
former Juja MP has insisted he is likely to run for the presidency, his close
allies say he will be most likely in the race to recapture the Kiambu
governorship.
He is associated
with the newly registered Tujibebe Wakenya Party associated with former Kiambu
Governor William Kabogo.
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