By: Denis Mutua
Worth Noting:
- The hopeful County MP further said leaders who fail to perform in their first term do not deserve an additional chance and that is why she is seeking to oust Nkatha.
- “For a competent and performing leader, the first term is enough for their work to be evident. However for the 10 years Nkatha has been on the power we have witnessed no impact on lives of women,youths,vulnerable and disabled, which is against her mandate as the county MP,’’ Wanja said.
- To address issue of poor management of national government affirmative action funds, she said writing of proposals by groups for funding will be scrapped off to introduce a direct application which will have clear guidelines on the procedure to ease the burden of women and youths incurring in expensive proposals that are never approved.
Tharaka Nithi aspiring woman MP Pastor Lucy Wanja has promised to put up rescue centres in the county to cater for needs of various vulnerable groups if elected the county MP.
Speaking at Kiumbe village of Gatunga ward in Tharaka North subcounty,Wanja said currently the county has only one recue centre at Tharaka recently commissioned by an NGO and therefore there is need to have more such facilities where women and girls who get assaulted can have a refuge.
“I will ensure we have our own rescue centres which we will be managing so that women who are involved in gender based violence will have a place to find solace. This is because we only have a single rescue centre in Tharaka that has been put up by non-governmental organisation, whereas more facilities require being in place,’’
Apart from rescue centres, Wanja said her leadership will ensure the county has rehabilitation centres in place where youths who are into drugs will be helped in reforming from drugs addiction and live better lives.
These youths will then be enrolled in vocational training colleges in the county to be equipped with relevant skills that will help them live independent lives for the progress of the society.
She attributed the current poor leadership to the previous suit voting pattern which gave incompetent leaders a pass to their current leadership plunging locals into abject poverty especially Tharaka women who walks kilometres looking for water on their backs.
Therefore Lucy called upon voters to elect leaders as per their capabilities and not on the political outfits they are vying on to avoid suffering for the next five years.
She castigated incumbent woman MP Beatrice Nkatha of making zero impact towards transforming lives of respective groups she ought to have bailed out of their sorry state for the 10 years she has been on the power.
The hopeful County MP further said leaders who fail to perform in their first term do not deserve an additional chance and that is why she is seeking to oust Nkatha.
“For a competent and performing leader, the first term is enough for their work to be evident. However, for the 10 years Nkatha has been on the power we have witnessed no impact on lives of women,youths,vulnerable and disabled, which is against her mandate as the county MP,’’ Wanja said.
To address issue of poor management of national government affirmative action funds, she said writing of proposals by groups for funding will be scrapped off to introduce a direct application which will have clear guidelines on the procedure to ease the burden of women and youths incurring in expensive proposals that are never approved.
She finally promised to lobby and partner with non-governmental organisations to help solve major challenges facing Tharaka residents such as water shortage which will relieve women the burden of walking kilometres searching for the scarce commodity.
Wanja who is vying independently has now joined Marimanti ward MCA Susan Ngugi, Beatrice Kathomi and Anita Nyawira who all seek to dethrone incumbent woman MP Beatrice Nkatha in August polls.
Dennis Dibondo