Kiambu UDA lineup: Senator Wamatangi to run for County top job

Senator Kimani Wamatangi and DP William Ruto moments after joining UDA at a rally in Thika Stadium. [File, Stadium]

Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi is set to fly the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket for the county’s top job in the upcoming August 9 General Elections.

Wamatangi, a former ally of President Uhuru Kenyatta, won the ticket weeks after decamping from the ruling Jubilee party to Kenya Kwanza alongside William Kabogo and Moses Kuria.

According to the final tallies communicated on Sunday morning, the lawmaker won the party primaries with 86,020 votes.

His competitor, Wainaina Patrick Kimani came a distant second with 57,568 votes as ousted Governor Ferdinand Waititu who had plans of getting his seat back followed distantly with only 15,117 votes.

In the quest for the ticket, Mungai Erick Muturi came fourth with less than 5, 000 votes (3,666).

Wamatangi will now face off Azimio la Umoja’s candidate and incumbent governor James Nyoro alongside other independent candidates who have also shown interest in Kiambu’s top job.

Incumbent Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba. [File, Standard]

In the Woman Representative seat, Muratha Anne Wanjiku will now be the UDA candidate for the seat after trouncing her two competitors Loise Kim and Wainaina Emma Wangari.

Anne Wanjiku got 83,257 votes against her close competitor, Loise Kim, who got 15, 613 votes less. She got 67, 644 votes.

Emma Wainaina came a distant third with 10, 395 votes only.

The incumbent Woman Representative will now run for Githunguri Constituency MP on a UDA ticket as Simon King’ara is also set to run for Ruiru Constituency seat on the same ticket after defeating Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura.

Other UDA candidates in Kiambu are Waithaka John Machua (Kiambu MP), Kahangara joseph (Lari MP), Chege John Kiragu (Limuru MP),  Ndungu George Koimburi (Juja MP) and  Njenja Francis Kigo (Gatundu North).

The party has not announced its candidate for senate and the Gatundu South constituency was presumably left for one of its allies, Moses Kuria.

Additional Reporting by Gitau Wanyoike