There Is Life After Elections, Alice, Wainaina Declare.
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| Businessman Patrick Wainaina articulating his views during a leaders meeting to discuss security issues during the electioneering period. |
Speaking during a meeting convened by the Thika west DCC Tom
Anjere to iron out security issues related to next year’s General Elections,
the leaders were in agreement that there was only one prize for each seat that
meant only one of them will win it. They resolved to conduct peaceful campaigns
that only focused on issues and policies that each one of them stood for.
“As aspirants and sitting MPs or MCAs, it is the high time
that we went to the people and sold our policies. Mudslinging each other will
help no one. What will happen when one of you eventually wins? We need to conduct
ourselves in a manner that we will still greet each other after August 8th
2017,” said the Thika Town MP.
She called on her competitors to take pride in the town by
conducting constructive politics and that Thika was greater that each one of
them. She added that as the county that hosted the president, the kind of
politics coming from its leaders should be above board and a model to other counties.
Patrick Wainaina said that image was everything and the
manner in which candidates conducted their campaigns said a lot about their
character. He reckoned that, politics aside, there was still life after the
General Elections.
“If a leader will advocate for violence, encourage their
supporters to hurl insults or disrupt opponents’ campaigns, how else would they
expect the people to perceive them? My appeal to all those in this race is for
a peaceful electioneering period. As candidates we need to portray some degree
of tolerance with each other and guide our supporters to sell our agenda in an
atmosphere of peace and respect for each other. I wouldn’t like to be associated
with violent supporters myself. I always let my deeds fight for me,” said
Wainaina.
Wainaina said that his sole agenda for Thika was to see that
the youth getting jobs, was to develop the infrastructure and for Thika people
to access essential services, a job he promised to do even whether he became
Thika next MP or not.
“My passion is not the seat per se. My dream is to see
people ascend from one level of life to the next. I believe if we take politics
so personal, we will lose it as Thika residents. The best candidate will win
and I will personally rally behind whoever wins the seat fairly as my agenda is
to live in a great town full of possibilities,” he said.
He called on all the candidates to be given equal
opportunities to sell their agenda without being subjected to unwarranted acts
of hooliganism. He particularly cited the recent vandalism and mutilation of
his posters and billboards, terming it defeatist and an act of cowardice by
whoever had authorised this uncouth act.
“We should not thrive on the fear factor. This act of
mutilating other people’s campaign materials is a clear indicator of fright and
someone who is not confident of themselves. It is also a crime and crime will
not win anyone any seat. Let every candidate be accorded a conducive
environment to market themselves to the electorate as by the end of it all, the
mwanachi will be the ultimate judge,” he said.
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