Kilifi county speaker Jimmy Kahindi has officially declared his interest in the governor seat prompting a new scramble for the seat after the exit of Governor Amason Kingi. – By Ramadhan Kambi.
The incumbent, Kingi is serving his second and final term in office and he has remained quiet on whom he is supporting for the top seat in the coming general Election.
Mr Kahindi who has served as a speaker for two terms said its time he went for higher office and give a chance for another brilliant mind from Kilifi to run the affairs of the county assembly.
Other aspirants in the race include Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, ASAL CAS Gideon Mung’aro, Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi, former Agriculture Chief Officer Baha Nguma and businessman Dzombo Mbaru. Kenyan Ambassador to Tanzania Dan Kazungu is also in the race for the seat.
Speaking during the official handing over of a state-of-the-art administrative block at St Thomas girls built by in Kilifi north National government Constituency Development funds and graced by Education CAS Sarah Ruto he said he was fit for him to become the next governor.
The Speaker lauded Kilifi North MP Owen Baya for being instrumental in investing in education for girls in the constituency and his decision to drop his ambition to seek for the position of the governor.
He also told the MP to end his support for Ms Jumwa and support him (Kahindi)’s gubernatorial bid.
The speaker told Mr Baya to associate himself with educated people who together can have the same vision of development for the benefit of the people like what was being witnessed in the constituency.
“You know if you are a person who values education you have your office there you need a governor who values education but the calculations that you have begun making you should also make a U-turn,” he said
The Kilifi North MP together with Ms Jumwa support Deputy President William Ruto and Ms Jumwa on the other hand has is among those in the race to succeed Kingi in 2022.
But Mr Baya was categorical that he dropped his ambition to run for governor so as to remain in the national political arena to push for more funding for development.
The Kilifi north MP who has invested heavily in education particularly for the girl child said he would like the DP to appoint him as his running mate because he qualifies for the position due to his high level of education.
He said his vision is to be vibrant in the national level and promised to ensure more development to ensure standards of education rise in the County.
The MP said he was happy now that educated minds were now joining the political arena as it would help to champion for more development in the area.
Ms Ruto on her part said she was happy to be part of the leadership that values education in Kilifi county and assured them of the full support from the government.
She advised the girls to ensure that they strive to succeed in their education so as to end the bad image for girls who are always known for the wrong reasons such as teenage pregnancy.
The CAS urged all leaders to embrace the Competence based curriculum which was rolled out by the government so as to help in improving the standards of education for the children.
Also present during the ceremony was Senior lawyer George Kithi who is also eying for the senatorial position in the county of Kilifi.
Kithi said its time Kilifi transformed for the better and that would be made possible through education.
He hailed the Kilifi north MP for investing in education saying it would go a long way in transforming the standards.
