Thika MP reports Wainaina to police over street lighting programme.

Two different street lighting programmes by the two main political rivals for Thika Town Constituency that have brought political heat in the area. 

Thika Town MP Alice Wambui Ng’ang’a has reported her main rival Eng. Patrick Wainaina Wa Jungle to the Thika police, accusing him of branding his name on street lighting poles erected under the national government.

While addressing the press at the Thika Police Headquarters on Friday, Alice said that the action by her competitor were meant to hoodwink the wananchi that he was the one behind the programme.

“Our contractor has already started to light up Makongeni Estate as promised but unfortunately, we woke up to find the posts branded with my competitor’s names to hoodwink people that he was the one putting up the lights,” said the Thika legislator.

She stressed that, as the elected Thika MP, she was the only one mandated to oversight and supervise all national government projects in the area.

Thika Deputy OCPD Bernard Ayoo confirmed receiving formal complaints from the area MP and promised to institute thorough investigations to unearth the truth.

“We have officially received the complaints from Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a and we are investigating the matter. If this aspirant is found to be culpable, we will not hesitate but charge him with the offence,” said Ayoo.  

Responding to the accusations over the weekend, Eng. Wainaina refuted the claims saying that he had no business going out to brand other people’s projects as his own for he already had too much on his table.

“My competitor is simply seeking cheap publicity through falsehoods. Why would I brand my name on a project that aint mine? I am above that level. Am sorry her scheme won’t work. Not in Thika,” said Eng. Wainaina.

Wainaina said that he always did his work in broad daylight and he would only leave the people of Thika to judge him by what they see him do physically.

“I have more than ten street lighting programmes across the constituency that I do in broad daylight. I have lit Ngoingwa, Starehe, Kisii, Kiganjo and Landless estates. I have also done the same in Madaraka market, Gatuanyaga, Ngoliba and Munyu using my own personal resources. Why should I then attempt to use ‘panya routes’ to gain political mileage? We are aware that she sent her goons at night to brand my name on the poles so as to paint me in a bad light. This is defeatist in itself and is a sign the she already knows that her time is up,” he said.

Wainaina added that his sole mission was service to the people and it never bothered him who was doing it or from which quarters these services emanated.

“It never bothers me who is bringing services to Wanjiku as long as mwananchi, who we are all serving, benefits. I encourage her (Alice) to double her efforts and serve more. I will do the same and at the end of the day, it will be the residents of Thika to decide who best suits to be their leaders,” he said.

However, Wainaina stressed that he would resist any forces attempting to intimidate him or stop him from serving the public due to their positions in government. He reminded Thika residents of his passion to transform Thika Constituency and would continue doing so no matter who objected.

“Since 2006, Jungle Foundation has been in the forefront of our constituency development in economic empowerment, public schools support, community health, STREET LIGHTING, road and bridge construction, water supply, garbage collection, amongst other things.  We will be steadfast in our mission for the people we serve.”