Regina Ndune – Civic Aspirant Uhuru Ward

Our children play on the roadside because we continue to employ councilors who are not well suited for the job…

During the coming elections you might want to think twice before you elect a councilor you don’t even know. Resist the urge to indulge in three piece suit style of voting especially when it comes to electing a councilor who handles the day to day activities of your area.

Speaking to Ms. Ndune who is aspiring to be the councilor for Uhuru ward in Kamukunji Constituency was true awakening for me who has no clue who the aspiring councilors are in my constituency, something I perhaps share with many of my readers.

 “The councilor is like a woman in the home,” She explains, “who knows when the groceries are running low, the children are sick or even the plumbing needs fixing . A councilor runs the day to day activities, identifying the areas of need and articulating those needs to her MP. Even the Constituency Development Fund is only as effective as the councilor you vote in.”

A councilor should in essence ensure that playgrounds set aside for children are not grabbed and remain habitable.  From kiosks erected on public walk ways, the environment to the roads in your estates. On your councilors work portfolio includes the dispensaries, schools and recreational centres. All the things we complain about on a daily basis are largely in the docket of the councilor.

There are certain qualities that a good councilor must exhibit for this job. Qualities like diligence, self sacrifice and affability cannot be overlooked. Your councilor must live in your area and understand your needs as her own.

Regina’s promise

“There’s so much poverty in the slums. I need to show my community that life is not just about poverty which is a temporary setback. There is need to appreciate yourself through recreational activities. I am ready to bring change to my community with the little I have. To give them hope and motivate them to improve their lives and the lives of others”

Preschools are an obstacle to access of free primary education in the slums. Regina took me through some of the problems that lock children out of free primary education. Preschools which are not free have little access to education materials that build the foundation for success later in education; a situation that the mother of two promises to change if elected. Together with other well-wishers she has already set up a free pre-school which is now run by a church in the community.

Regina has also sighted lack of information as the main reason why her community loses out on beneficial schemes.  The youth fund for example passed by majority of the youth because they did not know how to access the funds. She proposes to create information centres in the estates where people can access information that is beneficial to them.

Also on her to do list will be to bring medical facilities closer to the people, water and sanitation, encourage entrepreneurship as a tool for development and improve infrastructure. What’s remarkable about her campaign pledge is the simplicity with which she proposes to tackle the issues in Uhuru. Her solutions are largely doable because they don’t require exorbitant budgets or very high technical skills but homegrown solutions that can be implemented by the community to provide employment and hope.

Good ideologies undermined by a shallow pocket

Regina and I made acquaintance at the Gender Forum organized by the Henrich Boll Foundation where she raised her concerns about the financing of women candidates which is an issue that has become synonymous with any gathering targeted at aspirants. A thorny issue that we need to address if we are going to get the numbers we need.

For many female aspirants, the spirit is willing but the pocket is weak. Weak budget are going to deny a lot of strong women entry into public leadership rendering the political scene to a reserve of the rich as opposed to a means to elect good leaders who can bring change.

Regina clarifies that financing of aspirants should not be seen as a means to propagate the buying of votes.  “As a woman how can I call people to a gathering without offering them something to eat or drink? I need a kitchen budget, Marketing, travel and security budget. I have great ideas and the determination necessary for implementation. I don’t want my community to lose because I could not sell myself well.”

On the 50 seats created for women…

This 50 seats will give women a chance to prove themselves if these seats are given to deserving women like Njoki Ndungu who have proven themselves through nomination. We may need to think about ways to include some reserved civic seats to ensure that the communities can see first hand how affirmative action works.

By Irene Githua

1st August, 2007