Leaders in Trans Nzoia county have endorsed Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa to contest for the gubernatorial seat in Nairobi County. Led by County women representative Janet Nangabo and Saboti legislator David Lazaro, they said Eugene is a national leader who should contest for the top job outside Western region and should be supported by all the leaders from the region and county.
They said that Wamalwa has got a brighter future in politics, and its high time people embrace his ambition as he looks to vie for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat, and instead of maligning him, they should offer their support. “Eugene, when he was a Saboti legislator, helped unite the people of this region and he has a good rapport with everyone he comes across. I ask Nairobi people to support him and vote for him as their Governor as he has shown here at home he has leadership qualities worthy of uniting people,” said Nangabo. She said that Eugene’s ambition and desire to serve away from the counties in the Western region should be blessed and welcomed, adding that he has the capabilities of winning the seat come next year’s elections.
“I was a councillor and Eugene united us all as leaders irrespective of party affiliations, he showed leadership qualities that ought to be emulated by every politician,” she added.
His Saboti counterpart David Lazaro aappealed to the residents not to worry about Eugene’s plan to contest as a Governor in Nairobi county disclosing that he has the blessings of some leaders from the region including Musalia Mudavadi who had supported the Cabinet Secretary’s decision of contesting for the top job in Nairobi.
He however criticized a section of leaders from Nairobi County who have been trying to criticize Wamalwa’s intention of contesting for the gubernatorial post, saying that the county does not belong to anyone in specific. Lazaro told the residents to support Cabinet Secretary’s Wamalwa’s decision, terming him as the best candidate for the seat in the cosmopolitan county.
On his part, the Cabinet Secretary appealed to residents to support their son who has gotten a chance to ‘play international matches away from his homeground’. He told them that they have every right to be wary of his next political move but appealed to them to be confident of him and assured them the path he has taken won’t cost them.
”Once you have your son, who is a footballer, and he gets an opportunity to play international sports, away from your home, as a parent will you be happy or not?” asked Eugene. He gave an example of Kenyan footballers like Mariga, Dennis Oliech and Victor Wanyama who were blessed to move away from this country and play international football and asked the crowd if they were happy about the move of their move, and they voiced their pleasure with that in unison.
The Cabinet Secretary said that the residents of the region, notably his supporters, will not be left lonely after his exit from the county to compete in Nairobi, and he said he will always be available to the region whenever needed. “When our sons who are playing international soccer away from home are requested to come and join the team at home for other matches that are crucial, they have no other choice but to come and help the team at home,” said Wamalwa amid applause from the crowd.
Wamalwa however said at the moment, he is busy serving Kenyans as Water Cabinet Secretary and promised to declare his stand in politics at the right time when parliament will be dissolved by president.
