Former Lugari MP Cyrus has officially declared his interest in the Kakamega County gubernatorial seat in the August 9th general elections hinting at a possible working relationship between One Kenya Alliance and Azimio la Umoja Movement.
Speaking in Lugari constituency where he held a meeting with over 70 Members of County Assembly (MCAs) both elected and nominated from Kakamega County Assembly, Jirongo who is the UDP party leader announced his candidature through his party promising Kakamega residents to turn around the economy of the county.
The UDP party leader cited requests from his supporters as the reason for his decision to join the battle to be the second Kakamega county governor.
“I have come here because of my people who have wanted me here in Kakamega, and the over 70 MCAs that I have met here today have asked me to vie for the gubernatorial seat and I have to heed to their calls,” said Jirongo.
The move by Jirongo now heightens the contest which already has the current Lugari MP Ayub Savula, the current deputy governor Philip Kutima, the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company MD Fernandes Barasa, former senator Bonny Khalwale, Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito, economist Samuel Omukoko, Senator Cleophas Malala, Amukoa Anangwe, Suleiman Sumba, Leonard Shimaka, Laban Atemba among others.
Addressing the media after the meeting Jirongo who is one of the OKA principals hinted at a possible working relationship between OKA and Azimio movement.
“We want to get into discussions with others who share the same ideology with us. We want to discuss with our friends in Azimio but it must be in a structured manner, and when we discuss with them it is not like is Jirongo who is discussing with them but a team called One Kenya Alliance,” said Jirongo.
He said the Alliance which comprise of NARC Kenya, Wiper, KANU and UDP parties was willing to negotiate with the Azimio Movement so as to have a united Kenya and focus on reviving the ailing Kenyan economy.
“It’s not negotiations about positions but about the interest of this country. We understand the situation in our country today, the desperation currently the young people are going through, where you get a young man with a degree is a bar attendant or a boda boda rider, those are issues that we will put on the table,” he cited
“ For me when I sit on the table I must think of where I come from also we cannot be negotiating and we don’t negotiate for a new factory for Mumias, I can’t sit on the table to negotiate when we are not negotiating for a new factory to take over what we had in Panpaper,” said Jirongo
