Photo/FILE The then Nairobi Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa arrives at City Hall for councillors' elections on August 15, 2010. In the past, the leadership of the councils was left unchecked, leading to mediocrity and plundering of resources.
By LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, July 10 2011 at 21:08
Posted Sunday, July 10 2011 at 21:08
Campaigns for the Nairobi mayoral elections have intensified with calls for aspirants to be “vetted” to ensure that they meet strict requirements on leadership and integrity as outlined in the Constitution.
In the past, the leadership of the councils was left unchecked, leading to mediocrity and plundering of resources.
But the new constitutional dispensation has put the management of the councils on the spot with residents demanding quality leadership.
Nairobi lawyer John Mureithi Waiganjo says the crop of leaders to emerge from the ongoing council elections should comply with Chapter 7 of the Constitution on leadership and integrity and the Political Parties Act.
Academic qualifications
Some councillors are also pushing for vetting of mayoral aspirants ahead of the elections slated for August 11. The mayoral polls are to be held before August 15.
Mr Waiganjo said the candidates’ academic qualifications, past conduct, records and integrity should also come into sharp focus.
The lawyer said that following the current trend in the country, parties should prepare panels to “vet” their candidates.
But Nairobi ODM nominated councillor Jaffer Kassam says that whereas vetting was a welcome move, the elections were still being held under the Local Government Act.
Councillors interviewed by the Nation called for free and fair polls and urged party chiefs to avoid interfering with the elections.
“We want party leaders to put the democracy they usually preach into practice by leaving councillors to elect mayors of their choice regardless of party affiliation.
“We should elect leaders on merit to ensure proper running of the city,” PNU councillor Mutungi Mutunga said. Mr Mutungi is among those battling it out for the mayoral seat.
Others are acting mayor George Aladwa, Mr Michael Ogada (Finance committee) and Mr Elisha Otieno (Planning committee), all of ODM.
Cemetery scandal
From PNU are Mr James Mwangi Gakuya, Mr George Wanjohi and Mr Benson Kangara.
Mr Aladwa has been the acting mayor since Mr Geoffrey Majiwa resigned over a cemetery corruption scandal.
Mr Majiwa of ODM faced stiff competition from Mr Mutungi in the last elections before narrowly defeating him despite ODM’s numerical strength in the authority.
ODM has 56 councillors against PNU’s 42 making it a force to reckon with if the leaders vote as a bloc. Mr Mutungi said his team held a meeting on Thursday at Kabete Veterinary Lab to strategise on a winning formula.
He said PNU would hold nominations to pick a popular candidate. Mr Mutungi said he hoped councillors would rise above party issues and elect a mayor based on leadership qualities.
“At the moment we are just looking for leadership. We are not seeing party business coming to divide us,” he said.
Mr Kassam, a key ally of Prime Minister Raila Odinga, said ODM councillors wanted to maintain their unity to ensure Mr Aladwa wins.
He also supported ODM’s move to replace nominated councillors who did not toe the party’s line, saying they lack moral authority to continue representing the party.
“It does not make sense for people brought by the party to start fighting it. ODM unity is necessary including during elections. We have to speak with one voice,” Mr Kassam said.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment