Kiambu Governor William Kabogo has announced that he is back in the Kiambu gubernatorial race.
In a press briefing yesterday, Kabogo announced that he will vie for the same seat as an independent candidate, joining a long list of politicians who have taken this route after defeat in the recently concluded party primaries.
Kabogo lost to Ferdinand Waititu Babayao by close to 300,000 votes. It remains unclear how he intends to close that huge gap.
“Having consulted my wife, Kiambu residents and friends I hereby announce my independent candidature…I will be on the ballot. At the end of the day, we are one people with the same dream,” Kabogo said.
READ: How The God of Waititu Has Worked Wonders for the Incoming Kiambu Governor
Kabogo noted that the nomination process was flawed, and also decried a propaganda campaign against him.
“It is not a battle about who is stronger or better at spreading propaganda, but rather its about the vision that will take all of us to what we have the potential to become,” he said. “There are a lot of things said about me but those who want to seek the truth will find it. Some of them have hurt me and my family but we are strong.”
Watch clip.
On rigging claims, Kabogo said, “The elections had many flaws and since our campaign was about transformation, we have the evidence that there was rigging… My silence was as a result of the peace pact that I signed. The younger Kabogo would have handled things differently.”
Kabogo also thanked his supporters for standing with him. “I thank voters who came out in large numbers, for everyone who voted for me, I want to say Asante. I am proud of you and for those who did not vote for me I thank you as well.”
READ: As You Laugh at Kiambu for Electing Waititu, This is What He Did in Thika Yesterday
Read his full statement below.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Afternoon.
Happy Mothers Day to our great women in Kiambu county and the country at large and to my dear wife who is here with me.
I want to thank you for coming for this press briefing.
Let me start by giving honour to Whom all honour is due, and that is God.
Today being a Sunday, a day of worship for me, I am reminded of the faithfulness of God and I am grateful for the gift of life and for the great people of Kiambu that He has entrusted me with to provide leadership.
I don’t take this privilege for granted and in my reflections I acknowledge that leadership comes from God and it takes God to lead His people. I am only a servant.
I have served the great people of Kiambu for the last four years as Governor and despite many obstacles & challenges, I say thank you to God for enabling me, and to you all, thank you for trusting me.
I couldn’t do it without His help and the honour of moving Kiambu County and its great people to the place of its destiny humbles me greatly.
The development agenda that we have had is no doubt open for everyone to see. There is no challenge to our record and what we have achieved together.
The transformation that we have attained as a county in the last four years is second to none.
We want to continue to make this the place where you choose to Live, Work and Grow.
There is no limit to what we can achieve as a people, united under God.
For those who doubted, for those who questioned, for those who had little faith if our campaign was on the right track with right minded people to ask for a second term to serve the great people of Kiambu county, the shambolic nominations we witnessed answered one question.
There was a clear quest to stop our development agenda and subvert the wishes of the people of Kiambu.
The elections we witnessed had many flaws and this was evident across the country. The nomination exercise was highly driven by non-issues.
Our campaign was about transformation and the issues confronting us but our opponents chose the propaganda mill whose evidence we have here today…
There are a lot of things that have been said about me that are not true but only those who want to seek the truth will find it. Some of them have hurt me and my family but we are strong.
I will not dwell in that game of play but stick to the issues and the agenda that will propel our great people to great heights in this county.
Our campaign was about pushing the wheel of success and the development agenda for the hardworking people of Kiambu.
I sincerely thank voters who came out in large numbers to get their votes counted and their voices heard.
To everyone who came out to vote for me on the 25th April, men, women, the young and the old, I want to say thank you.
You braved the chilly weather and stood for many hours in long queues to vote for me. From Ngoliba to Kinale from Githobokoni to Nachu, thousands of you came out to vote and I am proud of you and I thank you once more.
To those who didn’t vote for me, thank you for still turning out to vote and exercising your democratic right and to let us know that as a team we still have some work to do in pushing forward the development agenda.
That’s the power each one of us has been given by the Constitution.
Make no mistake, my silence for the last couple of weeks was as a result of a peace pact that I signed and I wanted to honor. The younger Kabogo would have handled things very differently but now my thoughts turn to, what will be good for the County.
In recent weeks, I have met thousands of people and have received phone calls from people from all walks of life; men and women, young and old telling me the fight must go on. This is not my fight. It is ‘our’ fight.
It is not a battle about who is stronger or who is better at spreading propaganda but rather it’s about the Vision. The Vision that will take all of us to what we have the potential to become, the Vision that will take us where we need to be and the Vision that will make Kiambu the place where people choose to Live, Work and Grow. THAT is the Vision that consumes me and propels me forward.
After much deliberation and having consulted with my wife and the rest of my family, I stand here today to announce my independent candidature for a second term as your Governor. Due to public demand, I have decided to honor the wishes of the people of Kiambu.
I stand with you.
At the end of the day we are one people with the same aspirations, the same dreams and desires and with God on our side, our differences will melt away in the face of the greater good that is before us.
That is, making Kiambu the best county in service delivery and a place with equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of status, religion or age. A place of choice for people to Live, Work and Grow.
Whether you are a Kikuyu, Luo or Kamba – tribe will not define us.
Whether you are a Christian or Muslim – Religion will not divide us.
Whether you are Young or Old of Age – Experience will not stop us.
Whether you are a man or a woman – Gender will not separate us.
It is these differences that make us richer, better, stronger as the people of Kiambu. We are One People and will always be One People.
The answers we are looking for, the solutions to our problems, the cure to what is ailing us does not lie in those that are afraid to confront the common enemy of development and democracy in our county but the brave ones who will not shy away from saying, I can do the impossible. Yes, I can be who God says I am and I can do what He says I can do.
With purpose and great determination, I promise every man, woman and child in this county that I will break my back to give you the best leadership; I will break sweat to bring investment into this county I will exhaust all ideas in my mind to make this county great.
To our detractors, watch this space. We will do it through God’s help, and with His help and as we work together as One People we will pull through all obstacles and challenges.
God bless you, God bless Kiambu County and God bless Kenya.
Thank You.
