Why I had to drop out as Boga's running mate, PS Kwekwe speaks
Principal Secretary for Correctional Services Safina Kwekwe.
Correctional Services Principal Secretary Safina Kwekwe, who was dropped last week as the running mate of Kwale governor aspirant Hamadi Boga, has explained how the decision came about.
Prof Boga, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate in the race, had said Ms Kwekwe had not resigned properly when he announced replacing her with Mr Nurrein Mwatsahu.
It has now emerged that Ms Kwekwe had not resigned as required under the law and she had continued working as PS.
Addressing reporters at the weekend in Puma ward, Ms Kwekwe said that despite handing in her resignation letter, her superiors asked her to keep working.
“I [submitted] my resignation letter on February 2 as a PS with the intention of coming back to Kwale to begin my campaigns on the ground. However, I was asked by my bosses to stay in office because there were still a few reforms in the prisons department that I had been assigned to do,” she said.
Nurrein Mwatsahu, who was appointed Prof Hamadi Boga's running mate. He replaced Correctional Services Principal Secretary Safina Kwekwe after it emerged she had not resigned properly.
But she said she would continue campaigning for Prof Boga.
The two had coined “Bogasafi” (Boga and Safi) as their campaign slogan.
On Monday, Prof Boga, who spoke in Puma ward, where Ms Kwekwe hails from, said the PS was still part of his political support team.
“This is now Bogasafi plus because we have added one more person. Everyone knows Mr Mwatsahu and we will keep campaigning,” he said.
Mwatsahu, the newly appointed running mate, said he believes his position will help Prof Boga's campaigns.
“I have previously worked in the county government and I understand administration processes. This makes me the right candidate to be a running mate for Prof Boga,” he said.
Prof Boga explained that he had intended to replace Ms Kwekwe with another woman
But those who qualified were government employees who had not resigned by the constitutional deadline.
"I have not sidelined women. Many of those who qualified to be my running mate were either university lecturers, teachers or doctors who were on duty and had not resigned. It's the reason we settled on Mr Mwatsahu," he said.
He promised to ensure that more women get positions in his government if he is elected the governor in the August 9 polls.
