Did MPs who endorsed Wamalwa for Nairobi governor beat a retreat?

The disquiet that greeted the endorsement of Water Cabinet Secretary Eugune Wamalwa to vie for Nairobi governor cannot go unnoticed. Nairobi‘s elected leaders raised the alarm after Wamalwa was endorsed by four MPs from Central.

They said this clearly demonstrated he was out to undermine them. Some claimed the four MPs were out to extort him.

A few days later, matters were complicated after rumors started flying that they were working at the behest of powerful forces in the Jubilee government.

But in a quick rejoinder, the top leadership dismissed the allegations as false and unfounded while insisting the Jubilee Party did not have preferred candidates.

This complicated matters for the CS as the battle to unseat the Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero in 2017 General Election shapes up to a two-horse race. So far, there is no one who has openly declared interest in contesting against the governor on an ODM ticket or an affiliate party of CORD. But it is too early for Dr Kidero to celebrate and hope he will not face opposition from within. Turning to the Jubilee Party, two camps have emerged with one revolving around Denis Waweru, Sonko and Johnson Sakaja and the other one around Wamalwa, Bishop Margret Wanjiru and Nairobi Women Rep Rachel Shebesh.

Former Speaker Kenneth Marende has also joined the race and media reports indicate that he will contest on United Democratic Party.