Igathe pledges half his cabinet to Muslim community

Igathe meets Muslim community in Nairobi

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition Nairobi governor candidate Polycarp Igathe (Centre) with his running mate Prof Philip Kaloki (left) and Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan during a meeting with the Muslim community at Sir Ali Muslim Club on Wednesday July 20.

Photo credit: Collins Omulo | Nation Media Group

Nairobi gubernatorial candidate Polycarp Igathe has rallied the Muslim community in the city to support his bid to succeed Governor Ann Kananu.

The former City Hall deputy governor in turn dangled a 50 percent of his cabinet to the more than 600,000 members of the community should he become the fourth governor of Nairobi.

Addressing the gathering of the community at Sir Ali Muslim Club along Ring Road in Nairobi, Mr Igathe said he intends to empower the Muslim community and work with them as equal partners.

He pledged to ensure that Imams and madrassa teachers across the county are empowered while also creating an enabling environment for the Muslims.

Further, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition candidate said he will ensure there is an enabling business environment in Nairobi saying the community is one of the leading business communities in Nairobi.

“We will strive to have an environment that respects the Muslim community. I will also give a half of my cabinet to people from the community,” Mr Igathe said.

“You have made Eastleigh the biggest business hub in Nairobi and we will ensure that county licences are not punitive. We will also make sure there are no challenges when it comes water, handling of garbage, and electricity,” he added.

Mr Igathe was accompanied by his running mate Professor Philip Kaloki, ODM Secretary General and Nairobi senatorial candidate Edwin Sifuna, Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Rachel Shebesh, Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan and a host of other leaders.

Mr Igathe also committed to establish a Nairobi Foundation to cater for persons with disabilities as well as to rehabilitate drug addicts.

“I have come to serve you and not steal from you. I will work with diligence and high integrity to change Nairobi. I also ask you to elect for us foot soldiers by making Nairobi Azimio zone,” he said.

He was responding to demands that had been put forward by the community including a third of his cabinet, help in ending discrimination when applying for identification documents, extra judicial killings gender-based violence, and women empowerment.

For his part, Prof Kaloki assured the community that their needs will be addressed should they assume the leadership of the county government.

“We wanted to get your views and see how to respond to them. We will deal with lack of water in mosques, lack of cemeteries by getting extra spaces to expand cemeteries. We will also ensure you are not discriminated against when seeking for IDs and passports,” he said.

Mr Sifuna said Azimio government will treat all members of religious groups in the country equally and end any form of discrimination, even as he called for a peaceful election.

“We respect all denominations and don't call yourselves as Muslims but Kenyans. You deserve everything as it is your right as enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.