Jimmy could face Wambui for Othaya seat

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President Kibaki speaks with his son Jimmy during the burial of Mrs Josphine Watiri Michuki in Kangema in August 2012. Photo | JOSEPH KANYI |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By MUCHIRI GITONGA mgitonga@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, September 15  2012 at  23:26

IN SUMMARY

• There are also unconfirmed reports that businesswoman and political activist Mary Wambui is also going for the same seat.
• If both Jimmy Kibaki and Ms Wambui decide to run, then Kenyans should be ready for a captivating political duel between two highly connected people.
• Ms Wambui has been instrumental in the re-election of the President Kibaki in Othaya over the years. She has a wide network of operatives in the area and is reputed to be a good political strategist.
• Her entry into the race could, therefore, complicate matters for other aspirants. The reports of her candidacy are already sending the aspirants back to the drawing boards and into closed-door consultations.
• On the other hand, Mr Jimmy Kibaki’s candidacy could resonate positively with the youthful voters. He represents a new generation of leaders that seem to understand youth better and is relatively accessible.

Indications that Mr Jimmy Kibaki could be seeking the Othaya parliamentary seat held by his father for the last four decades have set the scene for an interesting political battle in Nyeri County.

For a year or so, the President’s eldest son seemed to be torn between replacing his father as MP for Othaya and going for the more prestigious post of governor.

Some youthful politicians are said to have been egging on Jimmy Kibaki, urging him to go for the governor’s seat but he has since settled on the Othaya parliamentary seat.

Had he gone for the county seat, he would have fought it out with former Mathira MP Nderitu Gachagua, the chairman of Mbo-I-Kamiti Dr Thuo Mathenge, a scientist, Dr Njururi Mutahi, and the Vision 2030 architect Dr Gakuru Wahome.

President Kibaki has not shown his hand in the race for governor. However, a group of Nyeri “elders” led by the outgoing chairman of Nyeri Water and Sewerage Company Joseph Guandaru are fronting Dr Wahome.

The group claims to have the President’s blessings. However, Dr Wahome is said to have fallen out with a caucus of Nyeri professionals based in Nairobi who accuse him of jumping the gun by declaring his interest in the seat.

Dr Wahome, however, told the Sunday Nation that his dream is unstoppable: “I am fully and squarely in the race for Nyeri governor. It’s the Nyeri people who will give me the job and not some individuals who think the seat is to be auctioned.”

The current edition of The Indian Ocean Newsletter of Paris-based Indigo Publications claims that Mr Jimmy Kibaki, with tacit approval of his father, has relinquished the quest for the governorship of Nyeri to run for Parliament.

He could not, however, confirm or deny the claims personally when the Sunday Nation contacted him. “He has not announced that he’s vying for any political position. Let’s wait and see,” a close friend, Mr Steve Gichuhi, said.

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An interesting political battle is anticipated should he declare his interest in the Othaya seat. Several people are already gearing up to contest the seat that has been firmly under the grip of President Kibaki since 1974. (READ: The Kibaki legacy)

There are also unconfirmed reports that businesswoman and political activist Mary Wambui is also going for the same seat.

If both Jimmy Kibaki and Ms Wambui decide to run, then Kenyans should be ready for a captivating political duel between two highly connected people.

Ms Wambui has been instrumental in the re-election of the President Kibaki in Othaya over the years. She has a wide network of operatives in the area and is reputed to be a good political strategist.

Her entry into the race could, therefore, complicate matters for other aspirants. The reports of her candidacy are already sending the aspirants back to the drawing boards and into closed-door consultations.

On the other hand, Mr Jimmy Kibaki’s candidacy could resonate positively with the youthful voters. He represents a new generation of leaders that seem to understand youth better and is relatively accessible.

Though previously unknown beyond his father’s shadow, Mr Kibaki has in the last three years been able to cut the image of a youthful and energetic man.

There is also the factor of moneyed and influential Nairobi-based professionals and businessmen from Chinga location who are said to support Mr Gichuki King’ara.

Since 2008, Mr King’ara, a city-based lawyer, has been moving up and down the constituency campaigning under the banner of Narc-Kenya.

Pundits will be watching keenly to see whether voters and businessmen who have been diehard supporters of President Kibaki over the years accord the same support to his son or whether they will go for one of the other candidates.