Social media activist Francis Gaitho has criticized voter choices in Kirinyaga County, arguing that the community’s support for Governor Anne Waiguru was heavily influenced by promises of preferential treatment from the presidency.
In a post on X, Gaitho suggested that voters were persuaded by expectations that then-President Uhuru Kenyatta would divert significant development funds to Kirinyaga during his visits, creating what he described as a “Singapore-like” hub of prosperity.
Gaitho said such promises highlight the dangers of tribal and personality-driven politics, which he claims can lead even educated communities to make decisions based on proximity to power rather than equitable development.
“Development is built through accountability and fair systems,” he stated, cautioning against reliance on political favoritism.
Kirinyaga, like other counties, has received government funding through devolved systems under the Constitution, but Gaitho argued that expectations of special treatment distort both governance priorities and public perception of progress.
While Waiguru has overseen local projects in education, health, and infrastructure, critics contend that some residents’ hopes of extraordinary transformation were unrealistic.
Gaitho emphasized that unfulfilled promises risk perpetuating uneven development across Kenya, with other regions potentially disadvantaged.