Boiling pot of Nairobi politics where only the tough reign

Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA) Chairperson Timothy Muriuki confrontation with men who assaulted him outside the Boulevard hotel in Nairobi. [Willis Awandu/Standard]

Nairobi politics has defined some of the clownish politicians who really outdid and still on each other in ‘measuring’ their loyalty to three successive regimes.

It is turning out to be the boiling point of Kenyan politics transcending the tenure of former Presidents Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and now Uhuru Kenyatta.

Their style of handling issues have made them join a long list of Kenyan politicians we will call political wags. 

They are self-made and brewed around Nairobi’s City Hall while others have perfected the art of controlling an ‘elite squad’ feared by the security agencies.

Each has a team of loyalties, who swing to action, even without the consent of their masters. They run the show and are not afraid to be exposed as was the recent case of alleged goons who attacked Former Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA) official Timothy Muruiki at a press conference.

This comes months after Mathare MP Antony Oluoch was assaulted at Nairobi Hotel for alleging attacking the Jubilee leadership on October 26th, 2017 in the full glare of cameras and no arrests was made.

The Nairobi Business Community and Mungiki, rings a bell as the President termed them outlawed and a threat to national security in his Security status report  blaming politicians for sponsoring such groups.

When one mentions Nairobi, the names of Governor Ferdinand Waitutu (Kiambu) alias Baba Yao, Governor Mike Mbuvi (Nairobi) alias Sonko, Ex MP Fred Gumo alias Kaa Ngumu and Reuben Ndolo alias Weka Taya, the late David Mwenje and Dick Wathika, MPs George Aladwa (Makadara), Paul Ongili (Embakasi East) alias Babu Owino, Simba Arati (Dagoreti North), Mejja Donk (Embakasi Central), George Thauri  (Embakasi West), T.J Kajwang (Ruaraka), Elizabeth Ongoro, Maina Kamanda (Nominated) partake of the tables and chairs.

Others are former Mayors John Kingori, Geoffrey Majiwa, presently a Member of the County Assembly (MCA) and Joe Akech among others but when they goof, they pick a fight with their rivals, or the media, for being ‘paid to finish’ them.

Having a group of ‘boys’ alternative security’ is the order of the City, noting that politics is not for the faint hearted.

Arati, Oluoch, Babu and Aladwa are some legislators who remained in the police radar for commanding a following that reacts at the slightest provocation.

Though Gumo retired from active politics in 2013 he was synonymous with the Jeshi la Mzee slogan, during Moi’s tenure.

He is remembered as a key Kanu point man in Nairobi Province in the 1990s and the only elected Kanu MP in the region.

The opposition accused him of being behind Jeshi la Mzee, a dreaded gang that had its operations concentrated in slums, mainly Kangemi and Kawangware and used by Kanu politicians to unleash terror on opponents at the time.

Notwithstanding this, his abrasive style captured in his famous favourite phrase “kaa ngumu (tough it out)” can best captured in the energy exhibited in his political message when he campaigned.

His streetwise ways and unorthodox means often rubbed his colleagues the wrong way, especially his perennial rival Betty Tett.

Kamanda rose through the ranks at city Hall and defined himself as shroud politicians, believed to be a forced to reckon with in Nairobi.

He endorses leaders for various seats and last year dismissed Sonko’s candidature for Nairobi gubernatorial seat and rallied his support for former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru, before making about turn to back Peter Kenneth.

“Nairobi ina wenyewe,” he stated. A mission that caused him his Starehe seat, to a newcomer, youthful singer Charles Njagua before controlling a ‘team’ managing his affairs.

Governor Waititu has had his fair share of Nairobi politics, emerging a kingpin, as a councilor and later Embakasi MP before shifting base to Kiambu County.

His tenure in politics has been marred with controversies being in the news all the time for not so good reasons, including leading his supporters to evict alleged land grabbers as he claimed that his instant justice for his Embakasi constituents.

Referred to as a ‘stone throwing’ lawmaker.

Mwenje was rough in his dealing with issues, leading to the emergence of Jeshi la Embakasi. The slightest mention of his name sent shivers down the spine of his opponents.

Popularly known as Baba wa Squatters, Mwenje in 1998 led his supporters to share out what he claimed was idle land in Dandora Estate where he lived.

In 2000, Mwenje and former Mbita MP the late Otieno Kajwang exchanged blows in Parliament.

Former councilors and Mayors have horn their politics at city hall and now joined national politics.

Akech’s time, he even lobbied the councilors to allocate two council houses for his wives, arguing that he was polygamous.

Aladwa describes himself as a well-groomed politician but has been arrested over alleged incitement.

He was last Mayor elected from 2011.

The position has since been replaced by the gubernatorial seat in the devolved system of government after the promulgation of a new constitution in 2010.

Former Mayor King'ori hit the world headlines in 1995, when he claimed to have received a call from God to salvage this city but could not deal with the pressing issues as he received anonymous death threats and was wounded by a young gunman who tried to kill him over his resolve to fight corruption in the City Council.

"Nairobi has been dismantled," lamented King'ori. “I complain like other citizens."

In 2001, the issue of the missing mayoral chain emerged, bring to fore the existence of another solid-gold chain, a smaller one, normally used by mayoresses and was last used by Her Worship Mayor Margaret Kenyatta who left office in 1977.

The chain which got lost was later found in Paris, France 11 months later by International Police (Interpol).

Wathika, popularly known as Mwas, his mtaa (estate), served as mayor of Nairobi for two terms and discussed salary increment before assuming office and later lost his MP seat after a successful petition by Ndolo.

This signaled the emergence of a third contestant, Sonko, whom both the two underrated and pulled a surprise victory on a Narc Kenya ticket.

Ndolo claimed Sonko got into politics after he started making really good money that led him to lose control of his “boys’.

“As a matter of fact, he took my boys into his camp after joining politics. When we quarreled with my brother Dick Wathika, Sonko came ‘na akapita katikati’ (and beat us because we were divided).At that time, there were two camps; Ndolo’s, and Wathika’s. Sonko won courtesy of votes from the slums,” said Ndolo.

Sonko’s entry immediately did two things: sent Wathika packing after he quit politics and confined Ndolo to ODM party politics.

Ndolo coined the term ‘Ukiona wao weka taya’ a phrase construed as an inciting rallying call.

He argues it was meant to protect his people from government planned demolition of houses built under electricity poles.

Sonko has transformed from a political learner to a juggernaut.

But the entry of young, sophisticated, and polished politicians have also changed the landscape of Nairobi politics.

It’s a mixed breed, where some have limitless cash at their disposal, while others have impeccable organisation skills and sweet talkers.

Babu Owino of the famous Tibim and Tialala slogan has raffled feathers, coming out as a go-getter, a ruthless former student leader whose reign at the University of Nairobi has stretched beyond six years winning three consecutive terms.