By REBECCA WANGARI
Cabinet Secretary for Lands and Housing Alice Wahome has declared her readiness to battle for the Murang’a gubernatorial seat in next year’s August General Election, saying her leadership record and experience make her the ideal candidate to lead the county.
Wahome, who has expressed interest in succeeding Governor Irungu Kang’ata, said she was confident of securing the support of voters, promising to introduce better leadership and improve service delivery if elected.
Speaking during public engagement forums with residents of Mathioya and Kiharu, the CS challenged voters to assess candidates seeking elective positions based on their individual performance, leadership abilities and development agendas rather than political party affiliations.
She argued that her record as a former Member of Parliament and a Cabinet Secretary demonstrated her capacity to steer the county’s development agenda.
“I have declared my interest to vie for the governor’s seat in Murang’a and am hopeful that the people will elect me because my performance track record speaks for itself,” said Wahome.
“I know there will be more people who will be interested in the seat, but the people will be the ones to decide who to vote for,” she added.
The former Kandara MP cautioned residents against making electoral decisions based on emotions or being swept away by political party popularity, insisting that candidates should instead be judged on their ability to deliver on their promises.
Wahome’s remarks appeared to challenge the growing tendency among sections of the electorate to associate political performance with party popularity, particularly amid resistance to the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in parts of the Mount Kenya region.
She maintained that political parties were merely vehicles through which leaders sought elective positions and that the responsibility of delivering development rested with individuals elected to public office.
“You will not be sending us home because of our affiliation with the party. Instead, judge each leader based on their performance and whether they have delivered what they promised,” she said.
Wahome will be seeking to unseat Kang’ata, who is serving his first term as governor, in what is expected to be a competitive contest for control of the county government.
The two leaders have previously differed over the management of various county affairs, with Wahome repeatedly questioning Kang’ata’s leadership, particularly over reported wrangles in the health and education sectors.
She has argued that the challenges facing the two critical departments reflect weaknesses in the county administration and questioned the governor’s ability to effectively manage them.
Her entry into the race is expected to intensify political competition in Murang’a, where questions of leadership, service delivery and the performance of the county government are likely to feature prominently in the campaigns.
During the engagements, Wahome was accompanied by several political leaders, including nominated Senator Veronica Maina, nominated MP Sabina Chege and Maragua MP Mary Waithira.
The leaders threw their weight behind her gubernatorial ambitions, arguing that the county should embrace women’s leadership and give a woman an opportunity to head its administration.
They urged residents to support Wahome, saying her experience in public service and national leadership placed her in a strong position to steer the county’s development agenda.
The leaders also used the meetings to campaign for President William Ruto’s re-election, urging residents not to abandon the ruling administration before it had completed its development programmes.
They argued that continued support for the government would enable leaders from the region to lobby for more development projects and ensure that residents benefited from ongoing national programmes.
Waithira defended leaders who had chosen to remain in government despite facing criticism from sections of the electorate, saying their decision was informed by the need to advance the interests of their constituents.
She said remaining within the government provided them with an opportunity to engage national leadership and push for projects that would benefit their respective areas.
“We are in government to represent the interests of the people and lobby for development, but we have been branded traitors,” said Waithira.
“If we leave the government to join the opposition, who will push for the development projects we want for our people?” she posed.
The leaders cautioned residents against political mobilisation that could turn them against the government, insisting that the region stood to benefit from maintaining constructive engagement with the national administration.
As the 2027 General Election approaches, Murang’a is expected to witness increased political activity as aspirants begin positioning themselves for various elective seats.
Wahome’s gubernatorial bid adds another dimension to the contest, with her performance-based campaign message and criticism of the incumbent likely to become central themes in the political debate.
