Nyoro declares Kiambu gubernatorial bid, slams Wamatangi 'tokenism"

Former Kiambu Governor James Nyoro has officially declared his bid to reclaim the county’s top seat, launching a scathing attack on the incumbent, Governor Kimani Wamatangi.

Nyoro promised to steer the region away from what he termed "public relations stunts" and anchor his upcoming campaign on heavy industrialization, sustainable economic development, and inclusive governance.

Speaking on Thursday, Nyoro fiercely castigated Wamatangi’s administration, accusing it of running a "one-man show" and engaging in political tokenism that fails to address the root causes of poverty across the county.

Nyoro took issue with Governor Wamatangi’s flagship agricultural initiatives, which focus heavily on distributing poultry and pigs to individuals.

He argued that hand-outs without proper market infrastructure provide no lasting economic relief to struggling families.

"You cannot give those tokens to a person who then has to transport them through dilapidated roads. Some end up selling them at the gate out of desperation," Nyoro stated.

"Furthermore, a person holding a chicken and a pig cannot get medicine when they fall sick because our hospitals are hollowed out."

The former county chief asserted that true transformation lies in value-addition factories and intensive farming rather than political public relations.

 He explained that while keeping livestock is beneficial, it only provides a decent lifeline if the county builds factories to process the produce locally.

Highlighting the changing demographics of Kiambu, Nyoro noted that extensive land subdivision in areas like Ruaka, Uthiru, Kabete, and Kiambu town has eliminated space for large-scale farming. To counter this, he proposed structured economic welfare driven by youth and women groups.

He pledged to revive the contested Uplands Bacon Factory project in Lari, which stalled after a legal setback.

"Kiambu lost the court case, but we were planning to appeal. When I return to office, I will revive it so locals can rear and sell pigs directly to the factory," Nyoro promised.

He also benchmarked potential county successes against established private enterprises, pointing out that a massive chicken slaughterhouse, similar to Kenchic’s facility in Ngoliba, could be replicated through cooperative models.

On dairy farming, Nyoro reminded voters of his administration's partnerships, noting that Kiambu has 23 milk companies.

 He stated that during his tenure, the World Bank granted the county KSh 100 million for coolers, and his goal is to secure more donor funding to equip these companies with modern pasteurizing machinery.

Additionally, he floated social enterprising ideas, such as utilizing Lari’s fruit production to supply raw materials for commercial wine-making companies.

The former governor expressed deep concern over the current administration's friction with major private investors, specifically pointing to Tatu City.

He claimed Wamatangi's demand for a 10 percent land surrender severely damaged public-private partnerships.

"The land the current governor is demanding is nothing compared to the thousands of jobs and billions in taxes that Tatu City can yield for Kiambu," Nyoro said.

"We must attract investors the way counties like Murang’a do, by establishing Special Economic Zones (SEZs)."

If elected, Nyoro stated his administration would mandate that companies operating within the county execute robust Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs that prioritize employment for Kiambu youth.

Defending his track record, Nyoro painted a contrasting picture of the county’s healthcare system during his tenure versus the current regime.

 He noted that despite the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, his administration managed the health sector efficiently without a single doctors' or nurses' strike, successfully installing 12 ICU beds at Tigoni Level 4 Hospital and 10 at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital.

Addressing recent public outcry over deteriorating standards in county morgues, including reports of rodents damaging bodies, Nyoro placed the blame squarely on Wamatangi's doorstep.

"The story of bodies being defiled by rats is unfortunately true, but it stems from neglect. We built a brand-new, modern mortuary at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital with coolers, but the current regime has refused to open it," Nyoro claimed.

Nyoro further reaffirmed his infrastructure legacy, citing major water projects and road networks including the expansion of cabro pavements in Ruiru town and the transformation of Ndeiya into a high-value real estate hub by connecting 20,000 homesteads to water and road network.

He added that his administration prioritised open-door leadership, regularly holding round-table meetings with boda boda operators and mama mbogas.

If re-elected, Nyoro promised to build a leadership college to mentor young men and women into genuine leaders, noting that the current political landscape shuts out young, qualified aspirants who lack massive financial backing.

Furthermore, he pledged to harness the untapped potential of the diaspora, who remit over KSh 8 billion to the county by introducing a diaspora bank for local project investments and creating "twinning" city partnerships between Kiambu and cities like Seattle to enhance service delivery.