Countdown to Elections 2007 Candidate Interview

Dancan Muhindi*******Councillor*********Westlands




Fellow Kenyans,

Those who have been regularly visiting this blog will see that potential voters are using this forum to engage candidates and I think this can only be a useful thing. For this reason I would like to invite all political contenders to prove to us here that it is not the big alary and perks that have caused them to seek public office.

Those standing for any political opffice who are interested can contact me directly using the email address umissedthis at yahoo dot com

Also, in answer to criticism about earlier interviews/publicity that I gave another Westlands candidate in this blog, there is no way I can fail to promote the new generation of political leaders in Kenya. This is one of the reasons why I launched this blog in the first place.

Today I feature Dancan Muhindi also an aspirant in Westlands but for councilor.



Kumekucha: What is your vision for Westlands?
My vision is for the country, and it begins in Westlands. I envision by next year, a constituency that will have elected a responsive and professional local government leadership that will be at the forefront of facilitating innovative projects such as
well-structured, low-cost housing units to replace the slum settlements in areas such as Kangemi, Waruku and Ruaka.

I have a vision for an enlightened professional leadership at the civic level. Just the fact that residents will have a councillor they know, can meet and discuss their problems regularly, will be a very big first step. For more on this vision and other local government issues, please visit my interactive online campaign at

http://nairobicouncillor.blogspot.com


Kumekucha: Why did you choose to stand in Westlands?
I have lived and worked in the constituency over the last ten years. It was only natural that I would want to serve at the local level where I reside.

Kumekucha: Younger candidates have often been accused of not being in touch with the needs of the people. Please comment.
That is quite a sweeping statement that does not have any validity. I think the exact opposite is in fact the truth. Young Kenyans have suffered greatly through unemployment and rising crime as a result of bad leadership and corruption in our country. How can young and emerging candidates not be aware of this?

Kumekucha: Who is your preferred Presidential candidate? Please give reasons
My preferred candidate would ideally be a person that is ready to tackle head-on, the ills bedeviling this country as a result of gross mismanagement and corruption over the last four decades. He or she should demonstrate through word and deed that they are not willing to sweep under the carpet past misdeeds. Unfortunately, the candidates I see today are busy hob-nobbing and getting cosy with personalities said to have greatly benefited from corruption to the detriment of Kenyans.

Kumekucha: Tell us a little about your background (including professional experience).
I was born on 26th September 1973. A first born in a family of five children, I grew up mostly in Nairobi, though I've lived in different parts of Kenya through diverse experiences which have shaped me into the person that I am today.

I attended Harambee primary school, situated in Eastlands, Nairobi, before moving to Arya primary school in Kisumu where I completed my primary education in 1987. I was fortunate to attend Lenana school in Nairobi, from 1988 to 1991. In 1993, I joined the University of Nairobi to pursue a Bachelors degree in design, graduating in 1997. In 2006, I enrolled for a Masters degree at the University of Nairobi's
school of Journalism.

Over the last ten years, I've been fortunate to work with leading organisations in the country as an ICT professional, such as the Kenya Literature Bureau and the Nation Media Group. Am currently working with an International NGO supporting small-scale agricultural development in the East African region.

Kumekucha: Westlands is a constituency where there is a lot of racism targeted at ordinary Kenyans. How do you plan to help fight this?
I am not certain whether this statement is true...the issue is more complex than race but...perceived racism, though not commonplace, is usually exhibited at the workplace where employees feel exploited because of their skin color. This arises due to lack of knowledge about their rights and lack of government support and education through the Labour Ministry. I plan to use my position as an elected City Hall official to initiate programmes within the council aimed at tackling this issue once and for all, rather than waiting for the central government to act.

Kumekucha: How are you funding your campaign?
The campaign is being funded by friends, family, well wishers and myself.

Kumekucha: What word of encouragement would you give to other young candidates?
I would like to urge them to hang in there, reach out to other like-minded candidates who have a selfless vision for this country and support each other to persevere through the challenges of electioneering. Above all else, let them not adopt the violent and crude ways of campaigning exhibited by many of our Kenyan politicians.

If just one Kenyan was to die for you to get elected, then it's not worth it.


Kumekucha: What have you done for Westlands constituents so far?
Through board membership to a volunteer international youth exchange organisation, www.cisv.org, I've been working with children from diverse community backgrounds in initiatives to foster cultural understanding through experiential learning. Among these initiatives is a chess clinic am running at the Shangilia Mtoto wa Africa
orphanage in Kangemi. This is aimed at nurturing the children's intellectual development.

This follows a successful relationship established between our youth volunteers and Kibera Olympics primary school last year, which saw a number of children participating in international youth camps in Europe. A chess clinic is also planned to start this term at the school with an aim of establishing a thriving club.

It's important for me to clarify that this volunteer work is done over the weekends because am otherwise fully employed. I would love to give much more of my time to such initiatives, especially as an elected Councillor. At the moment, that's the little I can give at my local level, with the resources that I have.

Kumekucha: Any other comments/message you have.
Over the last three multi-party elections that we've had in Kenya, it's unfortunate to note that our City Council, and many of our local authorities have ended up being managed by people best known for heckling, fighting and bizarre outbursts. This happens because we as voters, have not taken the time to scrutinise aspiring candidates and their backgrounds as thoroughly as we should.

I would like to urge Nairobi voters to reject the culture of the "three-piece" voting pattern in this year's elections and vote in professionals such as myself, irrespective of party affiliations. Let us identify selfless individuals capable of tackling modern metropolitan challenges to vie as Councillors. I was inspired to note
that voters in Embakasi recently elected a Councillor from the little known Kenya People's Party (KPP) despite serious campaigns from the two main parties. Clearly, they must have made an informed choice.

I firmly believe that our dream of reforming Parliament and hence the country, will not be achieved unless we start at the grass roots, in our local authorities. Let us lift the cloak of ambiguity from the current Councillors and other aspirants, so that we have a City Council that we can all be proud of next year.

Feel free to engage me on these issues at my blog
http://nairobicouncillor.blogspot.com