Kenyans remind Uhuru of poll pledges

By JOSEPH MURAYA | April 3, 2013

One o f the pages ‘Congratulation Mr. President’ had 21,765 likes by Tuesday evening/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 3 – As congratulatory messages stream in from across the globe for Uhuru Kenyatta, two Facebook pages in honor of the president-elect have been opened by his supporters to wish him and his government well and to remind him of his coalition’s manifesto which they expect him to deliver on.

One o f the pages ‘Congratulation Mr. President’ had 21,765 likes by Tuesday evening.

The page which has been used to highlight achievements of the Jubilee coalition as it prepares to form the next government after Kenyatta’s victory was upheld by the Supreme Court continues to gain popularity.

One of the posts reads, “Dear farmers, government subsidised fertilizer for this planting season is now available in your nearest NCPB branch. Kindly report to the nearest authorities any trader selling government subsidised fertilizer.”

“Thanks to social media, getting first hand information.” Ezekiel Ruto posted.

James Maina a follower on the page reacted; “Jubilee government is Marching on to power revealing its Manifesto, but we are still waiting for laptops.”

“British Prime Minister Cameron writes to congratulate President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta affirms UK-Kenya partnership,” another post reads.

“Inshallah, Allah is great!!” Cynthia Jepkemei posted. While another reads, “Truly God loves Kenya, Tuna Na Amani (we have peace).”

The president-elect who has been fond of interacting with supporters in the social media had campaigned among others on generational change, “Analogue to Digital generation” has made remarkable posts for instance when he apologised to the Supreme Court Judges for referring to them as, ‘some people.’

With a background quote on its timeline reading, “Those who walk with God, always reach their destination” the other page is called, “Congratulations Mr. President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta.”

The page which also is a congratulatory page for Kenyatta has also writing saying; “Kindly note this page is not run by the president elect. As the name suggests it’s simply a congratulatory page dedicated to him by ordinary Kenyans.”

The page has gone beyond congratulating the president elect to urging Kenyans to unite and support the new government.

“If you still regard yourself a Jubilant or Cordian wake up. We are back to default, we are Kenyans. We are like men waking up from a bad dream that almost polarized us, don’t let it,” a message posted reads.

As Kenyans waited for the Supreme Court to give its decision followers of the page were asked to remain peaceful and accept the outcome. “Whatever the decision however, let us remember Kenya is greater than any of us and as the President Elect UK said in his acceptance speech, voters never lose an election. Like if you are a proud Kenyan.”

Joseph Wahome replied on the message saying,” Oh yes, but Kenyans must develop the habit of skepticism, not to swallow every piece of information they are told by opinion polls and politics professors to avoid keeping their hopes so high and suffering from disappointment when things goes against their expectations.”