The latest gubernatorial popularity ranking has placed Kirinyaga County Governor Anne
Waiguru in the lead, beating her closest rival with an 8% margin.
The polls released on Monday by research firm Mizani Africa, have placed Waiguru’s popularity
at 45% while Wangui Ngirici follows at 37%.
The polls that have been released seven days to the elections shows the other gubernatorial
candidates with between 2% and 7% popularity.
Governor Waiguru’s popularity has been on a steady rise since after joining the United
Democratic Alliance (UDA) after what she termed as listening to the ground. She has since put
up a spirited campaign for herself as well as for the UDA Presidential candidate William Ruto.
Lately, the governor has been on a heightened vote hunting mission across the county where she
has asked the electorate to give her another term to enable her complete the many projects and
programs she has initiated in the county.
Waiguru who held rallies at Wanguru town in Tebere, Karundi and Kiini wards yesterday is
campaigning on a platform of development using the slogan “Wira Warie”, which loosely
translates to “let work speak” and has been drawing increased support from residents.
Frequent visits into the county by Kenya Kwanza leaders including the Deputy President
William Ruto has helped solidify her popularity.
Unlike her opponents who are depending on promises to the electorate, Waiguru is leveraging
her five years development track record which has seen the transformation of various social
economic sectors in the county. It is from the work that she has done that she drew her campaign
slogan.
Some of the achievements that the governor has recorded include the spearheading of Wezesha
Kirinyaga economic empowerment program that has been supporting women and youth to
undertake income generating activities such as farming and value addition.
Under her leadership, the county’s health sector has undergone major infrastructure and service
delivery reforms among them being the construction of a 342-bed capacity Kerugoya Level Five
Hospital, completion of 19 dispensaries, upgrading of Sagana, Kimbimbi and Kianyaga Hospital.
She has also put up modern 19 markets in various town and cabro-paved Kerugoya, Kutus,
Kagio, Kianyaga and Wanguru towns.
Waiguru in her campaigns promised to extend the empowerment and development programs as
enshrined in the “Mountain Cities” blueprint in order to touch every county resident.
“I am asking you to give me another chance to continue with the development that we have
started, we want to make sure every home and every village has something positive to say about
devolution.
The governor asked voters to reject empty rhetoric and propaganda from her opponents saying
they lack a clear plan on how to develop the county.
