Politics in Limuru constituency in Kiambu are taking shape slowly after former MP Peter Mwathi declared interest in running for the seat.
Many electorates have declared to support the former legislator, saying they will not be detared to elect him and serve them for a third term.
“He has served us in other two terms which were not frequent. He is defeated and later comes back. The good side with him is that, he has never been biased. He serves everybody equally” said Charity Wangui, a trader.
Mwathi is the Democratic for Citizens Party deputy vice chairman, the party which is being run former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Mwathi served the constituency between 2007 up to 2012, when he lost to the incumbent John Kiragu and in 2017, Kiragu lost the seat to Mwathi who later lost the seat to Kiragu in 2022.
Led by an environmentalist Mburu wa Waiganjo, residents who are Mwathi’s supporters have dismissed their opponents narratives that the constituency was meant to have recycled legislators.
He said they elects Mwathi because he is development minded, approachable, available and a person carries their needs in their heart.
Waiganjo noted that, he supports education with passion and locals nicknamed him, “Mwathi wa Githomo”, owing to the emphasis he places on education.
“He motivated learners, teachers as well as parents in both primary and secondary schools. The aim is see improved performances” he said.
As if it is not enough, he started an intiative “Mwathi Foundation” which partners with local colleges to offer free courses to youths so that they can be empowered to start businesses and we’ll as secure employment opportunities with ease.
“We have so many people who have benefitted from Mwathi Foundation. They pay local colleges where youths takes courses like hairdressing, driving, plumbing, electric engineering, mechanic and carpentry among others” he said.
“The beneficiaries of these courses and their families were shocked when he lost the seat. They want to elect him again so that he can support other people” he revealed.
Waiganjo also notes that his efforts also saw so many roads in the constituency being tarmacked, schools being refurbished as well as Ndeiya ward being heived into a sub county owing to it’s growing population of people and it’s land cover.
The environmentalist urges locals to consider electing Mwathi instead of considering new comers since they take long to learn parliamentary standing orders.
“Electing back an MP who did not let you down during his tenure is very important. He is not like a new comer. New comers takes more than one year to learn standing orders, different offices where one can lobby for development and other issues” he advised saying Mwathi was also a parliamentary devolution trainer.
Waiganjo also adds that, Mwathi has a lot of experience in the legislature, adding that he was once a commissioner in parliament and was a committee member of several parliamentary committees and at one time the chairman of the powerful Security and Administration parliamentary committee.
He will be facing off with the incumbent and others like Stephen Mwangi of Jubilee party, Phillip Mbugua, Samuel Maina among others.
A trader Simon Njihia said Mwathi has a unique character of memory since he nearly recalls people by names even after meeting him once.
“He has a very strong memory. He remembers issues easily. He can even tell you what you spoke on the first day you met. He is a leader, a good leader we should all embrace when that time to vote comes” Njihia said.
