WANJIRU LOBBIES FOR RAILA MATE
STAREHE MP Margaret Wanjiru has become the latest politician to demand to be Prime Minister Raila Odinga's running mate. Wanjiru, a first time MP and assistant minister for Housing is lobbying influential ODM members in the hope that she will be given the chance to run as Raila's deputy.
“I am a nationalist and have never been a tribalist. Politics to me is a call and I don't know what presidential candidates are looking for. All I know is that I can deliver," said Wanjiru. The news came a day after the Star reported that Shebesh had ditched ODM for Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta's TNA.
According to multiple sources, Wanjiru is planning to lead a delegation from Central Kenya to meet the PM in the next few days as part of her efforts to lobby for the position. Others interested in being Raila's running mate are ODM chairman Henry Kosgey and Bureti MP and Roads minister counterpart Franklin Bett, who has openly asked to be named.
Agriculture minister Sally Kosgey is also reported to be keen on the position which, according to her supporters, will see ODM utilise the minister's vast international contacts. Although the focus has been on presidential aspirants, running mates are just as crucial as they can make or break a candidate's bid.
Like many aspirants, Raila is understood to have adopted a wait-and-see approach and people close to him say he will not name his running mate until early next year. Yesterday, Wanjiru, the founding bishop of Jesus is Alive Ministries, told the Star that she is staking her claim for the seat on the grounds of gender, the Mt Kenya region votes and the church. Although she is the MP for Starehe which is in Nairobi, Wanjiru traces her roots to Murang’a.
“I am coming on board with the women, the church, four constituencies in Nairobi and the youths who see me as a mother. I can guarantee my vote and the choice is theirs," said Wanjiru. However, the MP clarified that she may sacrifice her interest in the Nairobi governor seat, which has also attracted former Mumias Sugar chief executive Evans Kidero and ex-Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia.
The assistant minister has been the defacto leader of the now disbanded ODM Reloaded team that toured the country popularising Raila's candidature after Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi quit the party for UDF. She has also played a key role in having former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga back Raila's bid.
A date is yet to be set for the delegation of Kikuyu elders and some of Wanjiru's supporters from Central Kenya to meet and try to convince the PM that she he has the capacity to deliver the region's vote. It is believed the MP is using her closeness to the former Mungiki leader to lobby the PM because she can deliver the vote through the influence of hundreds of youths who are still loyal to Njenga.
Raila has been close to Njenga from the time the former Mungiki leader was in jail. The PM campaigned for Njenga's Mkenya Solidarity Movement candidate in the recent by-election in Kangema constituency. However, Mkenya’s candidate did not win.
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