CORD, Jubilee fight for control of Nairobi

By Geoffrey Mosoku

NAIROBI; KENYA: Jubilee and Cord alliances are engaged in a vicious battle to win majority of the 17 parliamentary seats in Nairobi.

The battle was further intensified after CORD picked former Starehe MP Margret Wanjiru to vie for Nairobi County Senate.

In a last-minute deal brokered by Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Bishop Wanjiru accepted to run for Senate against former Makadara MP Mike Mbuvi Sonko of TNA.

Both politicians can mobilise grassroots support especially in the slums.

In picking Wanjiru, ODM is said to have considered the ethnic voting trends in Nairobi and believe Kikuyus would vote for her.

Analysts say that other communities that form a large chunk of voters in Nairobi like the Kamba, Kisii, Luo, and Luhyia may tilt the balance towards the CORD candidate.

In 2010, Wanjiru recaptured her Starehe seat in a by-election. The race was touted to favour her rival Maina Kamanda, but the situation changed after Raila campaigned for her. However, the former MP cannot relax with the hope of securing CORD strongholds’ votes, as Sonko also appears to enjoy some support.

Sonko’s support mainly comes from the youth and women who identify with him due to ‘his generous’ ways of helping the poor. But this ‘generosity’ is confined to a section of Eastlands, especially Makadara where he is the outgoing MP.  Nairobi now has 17 constituencies.

“I don’t fear any candidate. I welcome the candidature of Wanjiru so that the competition can be tough to give me legitimacy if I win,” Sonko said when asked if the Housing assistant minister’s nomination threatens his chances.

David Ratemo and Simba Arati will vie on ODM ticket for Starehe and Dagoretti North constituencies, while Hassan Yusuf will contest in Kamkunji on TNA ticket.

Immediate former city Mayor George Aladwa and lawyer Robert Asembo are contesting in Makadara and Embakasi Central.

Another city lawyer Tim Wanyonyi was nominated to vie in Westlands, which was held by Fred Gumo.

Other aspirants for parliamentary seats include Wanjiru’s son Steven Kariuki (Mathare), Kepha Sagana (Kasarani), and John Muthuri ?(Roysambu), Kenneth Odhiambo (Kibra), Brian Weke (Embakasi West), Paul Ochieng’ (Ruaraka), John Macodawa (Embakasi North), John Omondi (Embakasi East), and Ishrad Sumra, Embakasi South.

The candidates

TNA list includes Kenneth Waiganjo, (Westlands North), Hezron Kamau (Dagoreti North), Dennis Waweru (Dagoreti South), John Thuo (Langata), Said Ibrahim (Kibra), Wahihenya Ndirangu (Roysambu), John Njoroge Chege (Kasarani), Yusuf Onchiri (Ruaraka), George Njenga (Embakasi South), Mwangi Gakuya (Embakasi North), John Ndirangu (Embakasi Central), Amos Masenge (Embakasi East), George Theuri (Embakasi West), Benison Mutura (Makadara), Yusuf Abdi (Kamkunji), Maina Kamanda (Starehe), and George Wanjohi (Mathare).

Businessman Kamlesh Pattni and Amin Walji are also in the ring for Westlands on Kenda and UDF party tickets.

Jubilee deputy presidential candidate William Ruto’s ally Nixon Korir will vie for Langata seat on a URP ticket.

Mr Weke of ODM is confident of capturing the Embakasi West seat that was curved off the original Embakasi and parts of Kamkunji.

He is optimistic that CORD’s strategy of ensuring major voting blocs have candidates in the various constituencies will work to the advantage of the coalition.

“The CORD alliance (ODM) in particular has the interest of all the communities living in the city, everyone feels represented,” he says.

“TNA is a strong party in the capital. I can assure you that most of the seats are ours,” saod former sports minister Maina Kamanda.

However, ODM’s Dagoretti North candidate Arati says CORD’s strategy to incorporate all communities will endear the alliance to city voters. When the CORD lineup is presented to Nairobi residents, the face of Kenya can be seen unlike our competitors who appear to isolate some groups,” Arati added.