Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah has stepped up his grassroots activities in Lang’ata as he seeks to succeed Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, in the 2027 General Election.
Atellah met members of the Abagusii community in Lang’ata, where he listened to concerns affecting residents and discussed issues they would want prioritised by the constituency’s next MP.
The meeting formed part of a series of engagements Atellah has held in Lang’ata since declaring his intention to contest the parliamentary seat.
The KMPDU boss said speaking directly to residents was important in understanding the challenges affecting different communities and shaping his approach to leadership.
“I believe the most meaningful way to understand an issue is to speak directly with those who wear the shoe. To listen to their experiences, concerns, ideas, and aspirations firsthand,” Atellah said.
He added that the engagement demonstrated the importance of inclusive leadership in a constituency made up of people from different communities and backgrounds.
“Different perspectives, different experiences, but one shared story: every community deserves to be heard, included, and given an opportunity to thrive,” he said.
What issues did the Abagusii community raise to Atellah?
During the meeting, members of the Abagusii community highlighted education, bursary distribution and support for vulnerable families among the issues they want addressed.
Omogusii Constituency Leader Valerie Asango said residents were particularly concerned about access to education and the distribution of bursaries, as well as assistance for widows and orphans.
“Members of the Omogusii community in Lang’ata constituency have spoken clearly about the issues affecting our people, particularly access to education, equitable distribution of bursaries, and the need to support widows and orphans who have for a long time felt left out,” Asango said.
”We want a leadership that listens to the people and responds to their needs. As a community, we are seeking change, and we believe Daktari will give our community the attention, inclusion and support it deserves,” she added.
The meeting gave Atellah an opportunity to present himself to a section of Lang’ata residents as he builds his campaign ahead of the 2027 election.
What does Atellah want to do in Lang’ata?
Atellah has previously outlined an agenda centred on education, healthcare, youth empowerment and support for people working in the informal sector.
In September, he told more than 1,000 young people in Lang’ata that education would be among his priorities, including changes to how constituency bursaries are distributed.
“Education is a right for every child in Lang’ata,” Atellah said.
He has also engaged mechanics, welders and spare-parts dealers, with informal-sector workers raising concerns about workspaces, equipment and access to healthcare.
Atellah has linked his political ambitions to his experience representing medical practitioners through KMPDU, saying his years of negotiating over doctors’ welfare have shaped his approach to leadership.
“I have spent years standing with doctors on the streets, at negotiation tables and in difficult conversations where the welfare and dignity of our medics were at stake,” he said in a recent interview.
