[Kiambu County gubernatorial aspirant Ferdinand Waititu. He was among those who traveled to Uasin Gishu to talk to the Agikuyu community.]
For three days now, a group of leaders drawn from Nairobi and Central Kenya have camped in Uasin Gishu County to speak to the Kikuyu community, which has vowed to rally behind the candidature of Kiprop Bundotich commonly known as Buzeki.
This came amid talks that the Agikuyu community in the area will likely support Buzeki’s candidature, which will cause division with the Kalenjin in the area.
Support of the Kalenjin people for incumbent Mandago and the Kikuyu community’s support for Buzeki had threatened to tear the voter rich region apart.
Leaders who spoke during a rally led by Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto promised to bring the two communities together.
“Tumeongea na watu wetu wengine, sasa laini yote iko sawa ni Jubilee, na gavana wetu sisi wote ni Mandago wa Jubilee, (We have spoken to our people here and all is well, it is all Jubilee and our Governor is none other than Jackson Mandago,” said Ferdinand Waititu, Kiambu County Governor aspirant.
The division between the Kalenji and the Kikuyu was so dire, that the president spoke in Kikuyu dialect, saying; “My people, please I beg you let us learn to work with the people we live with, let us not separate ourselves from other communities,”
The day saw leaders from the region tone down on their rather harsh speeches from the past, and promised to work in unity to deliver for the Jubilee Party.
“Mi nataka kusema kwa watu wa taifa ya Kenya, watu wasikue na wasiwasi sehemu yeyote ati temperature inapanda Uasin Gishu, county hii tuko pamoja na mii nahakikishia kuwa kura zitapigwa na Amani, (I want to promise Kenyans that this county is safe and there will be peace, and peaceful elections),” said Mandago.