Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi has assured former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina of a government position after his loss in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
Speak on Sunday, July 19, Sudi said the government would accommodate Muchina and find him a position to enable him to continue serving despite the electoral defeat.
"This government is big enough to accommodate everyone. We will find a position for our candidate, Samuel Muchina, so he can continue serving, and life will go on," he said.
Meanwhile, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has said that an estimated Ksh100 million spent during the Ol Kalou campaign was not sourced from government funds.
Speaking on Monday, July 20, Ruku said the money was instead raised by the UDA party, alongside contributions from other well-wishers who supported the campaign.
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"The money that was spent, which I estimate was probably Ksh100 million, was not government money. It was UDA party money, along with contributions from other well-wishers who wanted to support the campaign," he said.
Ruku further maintained that the government does not have access to public funds for use in political campaigns.
"The government does not have access to public funds for campaign purposes," he added.
Elsewhere, this comes days after Moses Kuria issued a statement on UDA's loss in the Ol Kalou by-election.
In an update on Saturday, July 16, he revealed that he had phoned the MP-elect, whom he congratulated and reassured that all government development projects in the constituency will continue, despite the poor showing of the UDA candidate in the July 16 by-election.
"This morning I called MP Elect Hon Kamau Ngotho to congratulate him for his resounding victory. The people of Ol Kalou have spoken and it is clear Hon Ngotho has the overwhelming support of the people of Ol Kalou," he said.
Kuria, who had been coordinating development projects in Ol Kalou on behalf of the government, gave a detailed 20-point breakdown of ongoing initiatives that he said would not be affected by the electoral outcome
The projects include the construction of Nyandarua University, tarmacking of the Ithagani-Nyaituga-Ngorika-Kanyiriti and Lake Olbolosat access roads, and continued operation of the Nairobi-Gilgil-Ol Kalou-Nyahururu railway line for both cargo and passenger service.
Other projects he listed include the completion of 36 electrification schemes, connection of homes to water through Central Rift Water Works Agency and Ol Kalou Water Company, and the refilling of 20,000 LPG gas cylinders at designated retail outlets by the National Oil Company of Kenya.
In agriculture, Kuria said 100,000 avocado seedlings planted in the region were still maturing, with farmers expected to begin exporting to China within two years.
He also cited the Gwa Kiongo Dam irrigation scheme, blue economy projects on Lake Ol Bolosat, and milk coolers issued to Ol Kalou Dairy and NYOTA programme beneficiaries as initiatives that would proceed unaffected.
Other commitments listed include completion of the Mashujaa Wing at JM Kariuki Hospital, Ol Kalou Stadium, affordable housing projects including the NHC development and Rurii TVET hostels, modernisation of three local markets, five ward-based digital hubs, smartboards and laptops in schools, and continuation of the Climate Worx youth employment programme until contracts lapse.
