Church leaders ask voters to reject bribe, support Waiguru

A section of church leaders in Kirinyaga has asked voters to reject leaders offering them money to vote for them in the forthcoming general elections.

The leaders claim that some of the gubernatorial candidates were dishing out money during campaign rallies to influence their election.

The clerics under the aegis of Yes Pastors Forum said some of the gubernatorial candidates have no development track record despite having been elected leaders.

Led by their chairman, Archbishop Dr. Daniel Njagi, the forum further accused one the candidates of engaging in insults and propaganda to tarnish the image of their opponents instead of selling their development agenda.

"They are giving out money in campaign rallies to confuse voters. We are asking our people to elect leaders who have Kirinyaga at heart, those with a good development track record and have a clear agenda to move our county forward," he added. 

They further endorsed Governor Anne Waiguru for a second term saying that she stands out among the other candidates because of her transformative leadership.

“We have seen the work that Governor Waiguru has done for Kirinyaga, her development record stands out for everyone to see and therefore we want to ensure that people make decision based on the candidate’s track record,” the Archbishop said.

Reverend Stephen Kimotho and Pastor Eliud Ndegwa of Akorino Church said the gubernatorial race in Kirinyaga has attracted many candidates and therefore the need to get the best among them.

"The contest for gubernatorial seat in kirinyaga should be about development and not insults and chest thumping. Some of the candidates have a poor development record and are known for the wrong reasons," Rev. Kimotho.

Citing various development projects initiated by Waiguru among them the Kerugoya Medical Complex, cabro paving of all major towns, tarmacking of roads, supply of water and start of many agriculture value chain projects among them poultry, pig, fish, tomato and avocado  farming, the clerics said the county has witnessed development never seen since independence.

They asked other church leaders to declare their stand so as to help their followers make informed decisions.  

At the same time Governor Anne Waiguru continued with her campaigns, this time asking voters in Mwea to support United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidates in the August 9 polls so as to help address problems facing rice farming.

Waiguru said it's only UDA which has a clear manifesto touching on rice farming.

The UDA candidate who spoke during a campaign rally at Mathangauta, Gathigiriri ward, asked voters to give her another term in office so as to continue with the transformation journey she started five years ago.

She said her opponents have no clear development agenda for the County and were only pursuing self-aggrandizement.

"My development track record speaks for itself, my opponents have no development agenda. That is why I am the only agenda in their campaigns," she said.