Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Friday framed the 2027 General Election contest as a race between development and empty rhetoric.
“Next year’s election will be a contest between work and noise,” he said.
Dismissing the opposition as clueless and accusing it of engaging in noisy and divisive politics, Prof Kindiki warned that leaders with nothing to offer in terms of development would lose the election.
“For us in the government, we want to focus on development so that we shall have something to tell Kenyans when seeking votes,” he said.
Speaking at Riakiania Market, where he launched road and electricity projects, Prof Kindiki stressed that political leaders must have a tangible development record to win the hearts of voters.
“It is going to be very difficult for us leaders to stand before the people next year talking politics if we do not have a development track record. People do not consume noise, insults and fights. What they want is development, peace and unity,” he stated.
He accused the opposition of engaging in politics of hate and division and making noise at political rallies instead of focusing on development.
“The opposition has no development agenda; they are only making noise and inciting violence, as well as preaching divisions. They will lose in the next election because Kenyans want to have leaders who deliver development,” he stated.
He pledged to ensure that the government concentrates on initiating development projects that benefit Kenyans.
“We want to be very clear. We are on course in implementing our manifestos which we presented to the Kenyan people,” he said.
Prof Kindiki warned that political violence would not be condoned in the country, adding that Kenya requires peace and unity.
He noted that there was no violence or destruction of property in 2002, when the late Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta were competing for the presidency, and said current opposition leaders should emulate them.
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“Political competition is not enmity; let us embrace mature politics free of violence and hatred,” he said.
He warned that opposition leaders risk being cursed by the elders who crowned him the Mt Kenya region kingpin at Kirigiti if they continued misbehaving and insulting their political rivals.
On development, he revealed that since 2022, the government had connected 32,000 households in Kirinyaga County to electricity.
He added that Sh845 million had been allocated to connect an additional 10,800 households in the region.
Gichugu Constituency is benefiting from 28 last-mile electricity supply projects targeting 2,100 households at a cost of Sh75 million.
At Thumaita, he flagged off electrification materials for the Gathoge, Piai and Kiumbui areas, where 114 homes are to be connected to electricity at a cost of Sh3 million, and for the Kiburi area, where 86 homes are to be connected at a cost of Sh2.8 million.
He was accompanied by Gichugu MP Gichimu Githinji, Principal Secretaries Mary Muthoni (Public Health) and Alex Wachira (Energy), and grassroots leaders.
Read: Kindiki rides on elders’ greenlight in renewed Central Kenya charm offensive
He said work was progressing well on the construction of the 53-kilometre Piai-Mbiri-Ngiriambu-Kiamutugu-Muchagara-Karumandi-Gatugura/Muchagara-Thumaita-Kamugunda-Kamweti-Kavote-Kimunye road at a cost of Sh2 billion.
The road is part of 571 kilometres of roads prioritised for tarmacking in Kirinyaga County at a cost of Sh42 billion, of which the tarmacking of 472 kilometres is ongoing at a cost of Sh37 billion.
“This administration was elected on pledges that included upgrading rural roads to spur rural economic development. All pledges made are being fulfilled across the country, project by project, item by item,” he said.
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