Roots party leader and presidential hopeful Prof George Wajackoyah has promised to support a former street boy who ran unsuccessfully for the Mathira parliamentary seat.
Prof Wajackoyah pledged to support Daniel Kiige, who received 8,148 votes to finish third in the crowded race to succeed deputy president-elect Rigathi Gachagua.
Billionaire Christobel Phyllis Wambura Maranga, 74, who garnered only 4,344 votes, was one of the politicians Kiige, who relied on supporters to fund his campaigns, beat.
Ms Maranga shot to the limelight during the Jubilee Party nominations in 2017 when she easily defeated Rigathi.
Read: Ex-Street Boy Kiige Rejects Gachagua’s Call to Drop Mathira MP Bid
As a result, Deputy President William Ruto, the director of elections at the time, decided to order a rerun.
Undeterred, Ms Maranga vied as an independent candidate after losing in the second round.
She fought valiantly against the Jubilee wave at the time, coming in second with 28,893 votes against Rigathi’s 52,757 votes.
Wajackoyah praised Kiige for his accomplishment on social media.
Read Also: Ex-Street Boy Daniel Kiige Vying for Mathira MP Seat Gives Sh50 During Burial Fundraiser
“Daniel Kiige ran in the just concluded elections as Mathira MP and he got 8148 votes. He was fresh from university and with no money, car resources and he surprised many,” he said.
Wajackoyah, whose manifesto included legalizing of bhang and sale of snake venom, expressed his admiration for Kiige’s success despite his limited financial resources.
He highlighted a widely circulated article from The Nation in which Kiige claimed that he once had just Sh100 on him but gave Sh50 for funeral expenses and asked for the remaining Sh50 so he could hail a motorbike to travel back home.
“At one time, he demanded 50 bob change from the 100 he gave as donation, making his story go viral. I have no choice but to uplift him and his family,” said the presidential candidate who came in third place.
Read Also: Justina Wamae Claims Wajackoyah Has Blocked Her
Wajackoyah, whom Kiige visited on Monday at his office in Karen, reportedly expressed appreciation for young people trying their luck in politics and pledged to be his mentor.
Kiige is the son of a poor single mother who is still a beggar in Karatina.
Born into a low-income household, he spent a lot of his formative years living on the streets until he was rescued by a good Samaritan who took him back to school.
He earned a degree in accounting from KCA University last year.
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