Work together to win Nairobi governor seat, Uhuru tells aspirants

President Uhuru Kenyatta meets hawkers during an impromptu tour of Kenyatta Market, Nairobi. He has urged Jubilee Party aspirants for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat to work together to deliver the seat. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged Jubilee Party aspirants for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat to work together to deliver the seat.

Speaking yesterday when he made an impromptu tour of the county, President Kenyatta said Jubilee leaders should agree to support whoever the residents will pick as their candidate for the governor's position during the nomination.

"Whether they pick Margaret Wanjiru, Mike Sonko, Johnson Sakaja or any other candidate for the Jubilee ticket, we will have to respect the people's decision," President Kenyatta said.

The President asked the aspirants to unite and focus on winning the position in line with the party's spirit of unity and co-operation.

The Head of State emphasised the need for leaders to shun abusive politics and hatred, saying they should always work to serve the interests of the electorate.

"Let us put the interests of the electorate ahead of our own and stop unnecessary wrangles that would divide us," he said when he addressed residents of Mlango Kubwa in Mathare constituency who turned out in large numbers to greet him.

The President also took a swipe at the Opposition, saying they should keep off Jubilee affairs.

"We know what we want for our party. The Opposition should not interfere with our party affairs," the President said.

He said Jubilee will remain focused on its development agenda of providing Kenyans with efficient and effective services.

President Kenyatta was accompanied by Mathare MP Stephen Kariuki who recently decamped from ODM to join the Jubilee Party, Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko, Nairobi Woman Representative Rachel Shebesh, Starehe MP Maina Kamanda and Johnson Sakaja.

The President first visited Kenyatta market where he shared lunch of nyama choma with Jubilee leaders, and addressed traders.

He later headed to Muthurwa market where he also addressed traders, and concluded his impromptu tour by addressing the public at Mlango Kubwa.

Mr Sakaja, Sonko and Shebesh; who spoke during the tour, vowed to work together to ensure Jubilee bags the governor's seat. The vowed to support whoever clinches the party ticket during the nomination.

At Kenyatta market, Uhuru together with Sonko, Shebesh and Kariuki ate fish, fried meat and nyama choma. This seems to be a mockery of what he said last week, "Kumeza mate sio kula nyama" in reply to Opposition's criticism of his government over a number of issues including the implementation of the TJRC report.

It was the first time the President was appearing in public since last week on Wednesday.

The President was supposed to have traveled to Canada for the Global Fund meeting and attend the UN General Assembly in New York but he tasked his deputy, William Ruto, to lead Kenya's delegation.

It is not clear what prompted him to cancel the travel. On Sunday, ODM deputy party leader, Hassan Joho, led ODM politicians in drumming support for Raila in Mathare.