Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has urged members of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to participate in the party’s grassroots elections scheduled for Saturday, January 10.
Addressing UDA grassroots mobilizers, aspirants, and election agents, she said preparations had been completed to allow voting to take place at polling-station level across the county.
Waiguru explained that those elected at this stage will go on to form the pool of delegates responsible for choosing constituency representatives, who will later elect the party’s national delegates.
According to the governor, the outcome of the elections will also have implications for internal party leadership in Kirinyaga and for UDA’s broader political positioning ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Waiguru expressed confidence that candidates associated with her faction would perform strongly in the polls, dismissing assertions by rival groups within the party that they command greater influence at the grassroots.
Read More
"We are ready. We have a clear command structure and a tallying centre to ensure the process is above board and that the results truly reflect the will of UDA members. I urge everyone to uphold unity, respect and integrity throughout the exercise," she said.
Waiguru also responded to competing leadership claims within the party at the county level, without directly naming those involved.
She questioned the legitimacy of leaders asserting control over UDA structures in Kirinyaga despite her election as governor on the party’s ticket in 2022.
"I am the undisputed leader of UDA in this county. No one can operate from behind closed doors and assume they are leading the party here," she added.
Waiguru went on to frame the elections as part of a wider effort to maintain UDA’s dominance in the Mt Kenya region and to support President William Ruto’s bid for a second term in 2027.
She argued that remaining aligned with the government was necessary to safeguard the region’s political and economic interests.
"This government is ours. It was made with our sweat, our votes, our money and our power,” Waiguru said. “We woke up early to make sure it was put in place. When we voted, we did so in our self-interest and bargained for what would benefit our region," she further said.
Waiguri also took aim at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of encouraging residents to distance themselves from the government without presenting a viable alternative.
"We don’t want slogans; we want development. We are a two-term region. Just as we gave Presidents Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta two terms each, we must give President Ruto two terms so that he can fully implement his agenda," she stated.
This comes months after Waiguru announced plans to roll out 42 new water projects with each initiative designed to serve between 300 and 500 people.
She said the projects would be implemented across all 20 wards in the county, with an estimated 30,000 residents expected to benefit.
According to Waiguru, the county’s program will focus on drilling and equipping boreholes with solar power, laying new water pipelines, installing storage tanks, and rehabilitating existing intakes.
She also noted that the county is simultaneously investing in environmental sustainability through the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Program, an initiative meant to help counties and communities design and implement their own climate-resilient projects.
"Every home deserves safe water, every farmer needs irrigation support, and every child deserves to go to school without worrying about unsafe water. That is the future we are building for Kirinyaga," she said.
The benefits are already being felt in schools, villages, and marketplaces.
For instance, at Kamucege Primary School in Gathigiriri Ward, the borehole installed at the institution has become a lifeline for 420 learners.
"Before this borehole, learners were constantly missing school due to bilharzia and stomach infections from contaminated water. Since clean water was made available, attendance has improved and learning hours are no longer lost," said Principal Charles Weru.
-1754810017.jpg)
