Corporate Mc Sam Vows To ‘Trump’ Incumbent As The Battle For Generational Change In Kamenu Ward Starts To Take Shape.
The contest is heating up with the Event organizer and Businessman
leading a pack of about 10 more aspirants who want to oust Muthoni, who has
represented the Ward since 1997. The many years that the long serving MCA has
stayed in the ward is what is making the erstwhile public mobilizer upbeat
about the 2017 contest, which he says will be a time for change in the wards
political and development programs, management and representation.
Mc Sam, whose Company is behind the Annual Thika Business
Trade Exhibitions where new companies in Thika exhibit for three days to the
public started his “Kamenu Redemption” journey as he calls it in 2014. At that
time, he was the Marketing Manager in a Thika based ballast crushing company.
He says he started by collecting 500 signatures and
compiling police records with an intention to put Road bumps to slow down
vehicles from Engen to Naivas Supermarket in Makongeni, following a spate of
road accidents in the road section over the years. His efforts were however
frustrated when he started seeking elected leaders approval letters so that the
documents can be taken to KENHA for action. This prompted him to decide that he
would do better if he was the one in office.
“For years this road section has been a nightmare for the
residents who live at the mercies of errant drivers as they cross the road at Engen,
Cereals, Polysack, BAT and Naivas area. We had lost count of the many people
who were dying here, and I was collecting signatures so that I can place a
solid petition to the Highways Authority for action. The Police records at that
time showed an average of 21 accidents in a Month, with at least four people,
mostly pedestrians losing their lives. I am glad there has been some
improvement with a flyover at BAT even though I will still push for speed bumps
at the right time,” said Sam.
His intentions did not stop there, for in early 2015, his
speed and networks were needed again when a Notice to vacate Kiosks and
Structures which spread from Phase 4 to Phase 13 was issued by the County
Government.
“Even though the Planning Department’s idea was to arrest growing
insecurity in the area, with claims that some unused Kiosks were accommodating
thugs at night, the Blanket demolition Notice was unfair to those who earn
their living from the Kiosks, and the many Mama Mbogas who serve the residents
needs during early and late hours, especially factory workers who change Shifts
at the surrounding companies. I had to intervene and help the Kiosk operators
resist the move legally” he said.
Following that notice, Sam convened a meeting of Kiosk operators
on the Sunday after the using his own resources at Kenyatta Primary School, and
obtained legal permits from the local OCS so that the operators could find a
way forward.
About 1500 operators attended the meeting. He was later
instrumental in acquiring a Court Order that stopped the demolitions to date.
It is these community defense activities (CDA’s) that made him see the need to
be more active in the Ward politics.
Other activities include the launching of Kamenu Ward Elimu
Trust (KWET) that currently supports 6 orphans and needy Secondary school
students from Kiganjo, Phase 8, Phase 7, and Phase 4 for now.
“For the first time the Ward has an Extra Bursary facility
away from what is offered by the County and the CDF. It is wrong for a child to
miss education because of a parent’s poor or jobless circumstance, and that is
why we intervene.”
Sam has been instrumental in developing local Primary schools
infrastructures, among them intervening for Kenyatta Pry schools repainting and
Water Tank installations, Desks donations at Kamenu Primary school and
supporting the ward schools get Sponsors for related activities.
It is some of these efforts that made him invited as a Board
of Management Member of Kenyatta Primary School.
“Three schools in Kamenu Ward had invited me to sit in their
B.O.Ms but Kenyatta had called first. I had to honor it” Says Sam.
The Event organizer has already assembled a Campaign Team
which was launched at Dreams Motel in September this year, and has been hitting
the ground every weekend, with Sports Tournaments at Kiganjo, Makongeni and
Landless while spreading his manifesto that touches on Education, Security,
Jobs, Business Empowerment, Sports and Talents Development. His Campaign
Secretariat is based at the Ward, near Madaraka Market.
Sam says the battle to lead Kamenu ward is a decision that the
residents must make.
“They must choose between staying in the same status quo or
choosing to change the leaders. A time has come when the people must stop
electing leaders without thinking of how that leadership will assist them
elevate their own lives within five years. My wide networks and corporate acumen
will help reinvigorate the Wards youth, and support Men and Women who are
looking for better opportunities that can help them feed their families, Educate
kids, and build their own homes and businesses. I am capable of this, and I
have already started.”
Sam will be running on Jubilee Party in the 2017 Elections.
“Kamenu ward has thousands of people who can decide who they
want at Nominations level. Any opponent can bring voters from wherever, but he
or she cannot export 3,000 voters at once, and even if they do, this ward has
34,000 voters who can decide to come out in their thousands and beat the
‘imported’ voters and place their own preferred leader.”
He says his opponents must get ready to face him at the
August 2017 Ballot.
“I have many options should things look funny towards the nominations,
but I definitely will be at the Ballot in August 2017. That way the people will
not say they didn’t have a good leader to choose from, popular Party or not. I
am the best among the many options.”
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