Elsie Muhanda warns propagandists, tells off Barasa, Khalwale

Kakamega Woman Rep Elsie Muhanda has warned her political rivals against spreading propaganda about her and instead tell the public the exact amount her National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) office receives.

The vocal Muhanda told both the Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa and Senator Dr. Boni Khalwale to stop politically mudslinging her with hopes of tainting her image as she eyes the 2027 County Gubernatorial seat that both are interested in.

While addressing the public in one of the local radio station, the Woman MP told the two that their goose was already cooked and served by the county electorate who have expressed their confidence in her as their next governor.

“It is amazing to hear both Governor Barasa and Senator Khalwale spreading falsehoods about the affirmative action funds which they claim is Ksh140 million per year of which they allege cannot be accounted for.

“Why can’t they instead inform the public the truth that my office receives Ksh7 million per constituency amounting to Ksh83 million and of which I have categorically distributed to various projects across the county?” she quipped.

She continued: “I have drilled water in every ward, issued motorcycles through loans to our bodaboda operators, trained youths on Sacco matters, and enrolled others in driving schools to get skills and licenses and issued loans to women groups to run their businesses.”

She added that she had offered umbrellas for small scale traders, issued out tents and chairs to various groups across the county, built houses to vulnerable families and initiated the back-to-school programme for teen mothers that has seen over 600 girls continue with their studies.

Through these initiatives, she says, the people of Kakamega have come out and poured their support behind her much to the chagrin of the two top county leaders.

At the same time, she revealed that she had distributed free fertilizer and maize seedlings to over 10000 households.

Despite being victimized for her stand against last year’s fertiliser scam that has put her on a cross road with the Governor, Muhanda has vowed not be intimidated but will instead continue with more projects to help residents.

She however hailed President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration for increasing the fund to Ksh8.9 million per constituency saying it would go a long way in realizing development.

Muhanda who has vowed to not only battle it out with the two but clinch the seat, has challenged her rivals to “brace for a grand battle as the dice is cast” and she is going all the way to victory come 2027.

To her, it is prime time the county experiences woman leadership and has expressed confidence in her service delivery record as well as the Constitution of Kenya 2010 that has given all Kenyans equal grounds to engage in politics.

She said more women had been encouraged to seek for elective seats citing the stellar performance and high ranking of Governors Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) and Cecily Mbarire (Embu) as good examples.

She said she was supporting the 2/3 gender rule and encouraged more women to go for various elective positions in the country as the constitutions allows them.

She confirmed that since her election as the county MP she has been among the top four best performing women leaders hence her push to take the county leadership.

She criticized the ongoing MP’s salary increment debate and said it was a proposal presented by the salaries remuneration commission (SRC) and not parliament and warned that its timing was wrong considering the hard economic times Kenyans were undergoing.

“Remember I was among those opposing the Finance Bill as it was too harsh on Kenyans and on the SRC to increase our salaries is in bad faith and even majority of MPs have vowed to shoot it down once presented in parliament,” she said.