The battle for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat has attracted a lot of interests from various political heavyweights such as senator Mike Sonko, Peter Kenneth, Margaret Wanjiru former Starehe MP, former TNA chairman and nominated MP Johnson Sakaja and Dennis Waweru MP for Dagoretti all of whom are running on a Jubilee party ticket.
On the Cord side, no other political bigwig has shown interest in unseating the powerful Kidero who seems to be enjoying the Cord coalition support as the ultimate flag bearer for the Nairobi top seat.
From all indications, the Nairobi gubernatorial seat has attracted interests from both sides of the major political formations.
Each side is interested in defeating the other side and walk away with the ultimate price. The incumbent governor is known to have deep pockets and enjoys the support of the Cord followers who are very much concentrated in Nairobi’s informal settlements and some of the middle class who believe that Nairobi needs a manager instead of a politician to effectively run the day to day affairs of the county.
In the run up to the 2013 elections, most Nairobians favored governor Kidero owing to the fact that his arch rival Ferdinand Waititu was too militant to run Nairobi. Jubilee lost narrowly to Cord due to their miscalculations.
In the coming elections, the Jubilee party must play its cards very well if they are to snatch the seat from Cord. All indications point to a bruising nomination process for the party.
It is how they will conduct these nominations that will determine whether they’ll be able to clinch that seat. Though the contenders are on record that they’ll be able to support the winner, it is easier said than done.
Super senator Mike Sonko will be the game changer in the city politics. He has the wits, the charms and magnificent support from most of the city dwellers.
His service to the people of Nairobi especially through his Sonko rescue team has endeared him to the common mwananchi.
In the 2013 elections, he garnered more votes than most of the presidential aspirants and even the Nairobi governor. Over time he has been able to position himself as the darling of the city residents.
It is, therefore, important for Jubilee to ensure that Mike Mbuvi Sonko gets the nomination certificate to enable him to run for the position.
Any combination with Sonko in it will form the next Nairobi county government. Sonko has a support base that surpasses the normal tribal and party affiliation.
He is a candidate that is able to woo voters on any side of the different political parties in the country.
As it stands, if the Jubilee party will not put this into consideration, the incumbent governor who is also a very strong force in the city politics will have his way. He has the resource and a backing of cord brigade.
Why senator Sonko is the only capable candidate to unseat Kidero
By John Kipchirchir
| Feb. 14, 2017