Lang’ata MP aspirant promises digital-driven jobs, better schools and hospital

Lang’ata parliamentary aspirant Omar Haji has promised to prioritise education, employment, infrastructure, healthcare and support for vulnerable groups if elected to represent the constituency.

Speaking during the Digitally Fit Awards, Mr Haji said he was seeking to use technology to connect young people to opportunities and help Kenyan innovators compete in the global market.

He said Kenya had established itself as a hub for fintech and technology-based products but argued that young innovators needed more support to realise their potential.

“We are here to support them and make sure that this youth actually can compete in the global market,” he said.

Mr Haji also urged young Kenyans to pursue technology-based ideas, saying the digital economy offered opportunities regardless of where a product was developed.

He cited Kenyan technology products that have gained international recognition as evidence that local innovators can compete globally.

“It has to come from Africa. We are tired of seeing products coming from other countries,” he said, challenging young people to dream of developing the next major global social media or technology platform.

Digital jobs platform

Mr Haji said he was already working on initiatives aimed at connecting residents of Lang’ata with employment opportunities.

He cited Lang’ata Connect, a digital platform he said would link residents to jobs across Nairobi.

According to the aspirant, such interventions did not necessarily require large amounts of public money.

“I feel like even just the website that we've come up with, Lang'ata Connect, that is going to help connect Lang'ata people to jobs around Nairobi,” he said.

He further urged businesses to embrace digital platforms, arguing that marketing, advertising and content consumption had increasingly shifted online.

“If you're still advertising in the newspapers, I think you're losing money. You need to be looking at digital right now,” he said.

Education pledge

Education featured prominently in Mr Haji's agenda for Lang’ata.

He said he had visited several schools and areas in the constituency and was already engaging with schools to improve education standards.

The aspirant also pledged to work towards reducing the financial burden on families, including what he described as the cost of school transport.

He said his proposed programme would seek to expand access to free education in Lang’ata.

Healthcare and vulnerable groups

Mr Haji said healthcare would also be a priority, arguing that Lang’ata needed a higher-level public hospital.

“We don't have a level 4, level 5 hospital in Lang’ata. And this is something we want to make sure that we bring it back,” he said.

His other priorities include improving infrastructure, creating jobs and supporting disadvantaged residents, including older people, single mothers, orphans and people living with disabilities.

On security, he said it would also form part of his agenda if he wins the seat.

Seeking to unseat incumbent

Mr Haji said he was born and raised in Lang’ata and was seeking to take the constituency to what he described as “the next level”.

He argued that some improvements could be achieved through practical interventions without relying entirely on government funding.

“I've visited some of the schools and seen that that's not something I want to see any child in Lang'ata going through,” he said.

He also expressed confidence that Lang’ata could become one of the country's leading constituencies, saying he had even challenged Embakasi West MP Babu Owino over which constituency would perform better.

“Next time Lang’ata will be the number one constituency, not Embakasi,” he said.

Mr Haji's comments come as political activity gathers pace ahead of the next General Election, with aspirants positioning themselves to challenge incumbents across Nairobi constituencies.