Hussein Kikhounga-N'Got has lived in Palmerston North for more than a decade. A former refugee from Congo, he is running for mayor and council.
Kikhounga-N'Got says council is teamwork.
"I will build a dynamic team which is going to be not always expert or scientist but a good consumer of data, a good listener," he said.
"A good team that can reflect the city, that can reflect the idea of our residents and then we will work together for wellbeing of city and wellbeing of our residents."
Fluent in several languages, Kikhounga-N'Got loves the cultural diversity of Palmerston North but says the region needs more jobs.
"I was born in Dolisie. It's a small city in Congo which is a French city with 50 per cent Pākehā, 50 per cent native and other nationalities, so I'm home."
