Juja residents give raft of demands they want next MP to address
Barely nine days to the Juja parliamentary by-election, voters from the populous sub-county are optimistic that whoever will be elected will address a myriad of social-economic challenges that have engulfed the constituency for decades.
Dilapidated roads, low electricity connectivity, low water supply and lack of a registry to handle growing land matters are among the thorny issues locals want the new MP to prioritise.
For years, Juja residents have lamented that they have been electing leaders based on their political or party inclinations, a strategy they vowed to eliminate and will instead pick aspirants based on their development agenda.
“For quite a long time, we have been electing leaders based on party inclinations.
However, we will no longer rely on such, as it has failed to deliver good roads, electricity, modern schools and water for us,” Peter Katana, a resident said.
Best candidate
Speaking in the town yesterday, the hopeful residents urged leaders to stop imposing aspirants on them, saying their independence will allow them to vote in the best candidate for a better future.
Big numbers
“We want a leader who has Juja people at heart. We want a lobbyist, someone who is informed of the many challenges we have here.
We are ready and we shall be coming out in big numbers to have our voices heard,” Susan Wangu, another resident said.
Some 11 candidates are vying for the seat that was left vacant following the death of former MP Francis Munyua Waititu, who succumbed to cancer in February.
The aspirants have slowly commenced physical campaigns, which had been initially banned to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Initially, all the candidates were doing online campaigns while others adopted other marketing methods such as billboards, bulk messaging among others.
Among the contenders are wife to the late MP Susan Njeri, who is flying the Jubilee Party flag, People’s Empowerment party contender George Koimburi, Dr Joseph Gichui, businessman James Marungo, Zulu Thiong’o, John Njoroge, Kariuki Chege, Eunice Mugo, Anthony Kirori among others.
