CCU’s Party Flagbearer Nzioka Waita, Running Mate Mwangangi Cleared For Machakos Gubernatorial Race

MACHAKOS, Kenya, Jun 5-The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cleared the former Chief of Staff in the President’s Executive Office, Nzioka Waita, to vie for the Machakos County Governor seat.

Waita, aged 46 is the Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU) candidate and Azimio la Ukambani’s leading light.

He was cleared early this afternoon and has promised to maintain a clean campaign to the ballot as part of his commitment to support the rollout of free, fair, peaceful and credible elections.

Thousands of his supporters thronged and painted Machakos streets green as a celebratory mood engulfed the town.

Speaking moments after his clearance by the Machakos IEBC Returning Officer Nelly Ilongo, Waita, flanked by running mate Florence Mwangagi said they have rolled out a juggernaut that will shock his opponents.

“We will roll out a peaceful, issue based campaign befitting the status of Machakos County”, Waita said. “This clearance is a tribute to the people of Machakos in their desire to ensure that a credible candidate picks the Governor’s seat,” Waita said.

He decried recent attempts by his competitors to advance a propaganda campaign, alleging that he had withdrawn from the race describing the acts as futile efforts to derail his candidature.

His competitors, he said, had thrown caution out of the window and continued to insult the intelligence of Machakos people through a series of dirty tricks that offend the electoral code of conduct.

“Sadly, the journey has not been smooth sailing as the Waita-Suluhu candidature spoilt the party for my competitors. I am calling upon my competition to focus on issues-driven campaigns, devoid of mudslinging and cheap misinformation,” Waita said. Following the clearance, his campaign team, he confirmed, will comb the breadth and depth of Machakos County, seeking to bag a majority vote.

Last week, Waita received one of the three Order of The Golden Heart national decorations in honour of his national development programmes management contribution. Waita, the immediate Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit, received the Moran of the Golden Heart M.G.H. order, the third-highest civilian award in Kenya from President Uhuru Kenyatta, as part of the 59th Madaraka Day Celebrations.

At the awards investiture witnessed by visiting Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, the citation confirmed that the M.G.H. had been awarded to Nzioka Waita in recognition of his role as Chief of Staff & Head of the President’s Delivery Unit. 

Nzioka successfully implemented performance-based project delivery across the public service, overseeing the delivery framework of the Government’s key flagship projects, and mainstreaming delivery of the Big Four Agenda across the Public Service.