Jubilee aspirants have begun strategising how to capture the Nairobi gubernatorial seat from Evans Kidero.
On Friday, two Jubilee coalition aspirants for post met with eight legislators from the county, to plan how to “win as many political seats as possible within the city, specifically that of the governor.”
Those present were former MP Bishop Margaret Wanjiru and Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, even though all the Jubilee aspirants had been invited.
The meeting was convened by Starehe Member of Parliament Maina Kamanda who says they want to have a formidable team that will face off with the rest of the aspirants.
“Our main aim is to bring all the candidates together and to assure them as Nairobi Members of Parliament, we don’t have a preferred candidate,” he said.
“All of them are equal according to us and we want to be seen as moving together towards getting as many seats in Nairobi as possible.”
Though all the aspirants had been invited, only the two, who sources say are likely to work together attended, but Kamanda says more similar initiatives are underway, in a bid to ensure Jubilee team remain united.
“We want to make sure that Nairobi will get the seat of the governor, more than 14 Members of Parliament and more than 60 MCAs.”
Also present in the meeting was Nairobi Woman representative Rachael Shebesh.
The county Jubilee legislators had earlier dismissed the endorsement of the Water CS by their counterparts terming them as outsiders, “who cannot dictate who the residents of Nairobi will elect.”
The new developments are seen as efforts to quell a possible fall out after party nominations that could work in favour of their competitors.
The leaders said they don’t want a 2013 scenario where the Jubilee candidate Ferdinand Waititu had to face other competitors affiliated to the Jubilee coalition and the rest of the aspirants.
Kidero garnered 692,483 votes against Waititu’s 617,839 votes, with a small margin, “that could not have been there if all the aspirants united.”
Businessman Jimnah Mbaru, who was affiliated to the Jubilee coalition, took third place with 52,084 votes while former Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia came fourth with 5,182 votes.
Currently, Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko, Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja and Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru have expressed interest in leading East Africa’s largest city.
The candidates have been assured of transparency and fairness during the Jubilee Party nominations that will be overseen by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
