After trouncing Simon Mbugua in an election petition last year, Ibrahim Ahmed, aka Johnie, is preparing for another battle for the Kamukunji seat.
The bearded politician, remembered by Kamukunji residents for his stylish horse riding campaigns in the 2007 elections has been awarded a direct ticket by ODM.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga is expected to lead a vigorous campaign for Ahmed, in an election already looking too close to call. For Jonnie, the emergence of an equally strong Somali candidate and clan politics are issues to worry about.
He has won the support of several Muslim clergymen, given myriads of roles he plays at Jamia Mosque and hopes to win sympathy votes for spending millions of shillings in the petition that floored former MP Simon Mbugua from the seat.
Though he hails from the much smaller Issaq clan in Eastleigh, Jonnie hopes to reap from Mbugua’s supporters who perceive the PNU candidate Yusuf Hassan as an aggressor.“My work is to make sure that the Somali, the Kikuyu and all the other communities in Kamukunji live together as brothers. Most of the people living here are businessmen and we must provide grounds for brotherliness,” Jonnie says.
He hopes to sustain development projects initiated by Mbugua that targeted the youth once elected.“I know Mbugua had initiated several projects that targeted young men and women, these projects will not die. My work is to begin where he left and work with the people whose lives he touched,” Jonnie said.
The former Kamukunji MP had bought cars in a revolving fund scheme which helped young people in Kamukunji to start taxi businesses. He also started car washes and used CDF funds to finance small scale businesses for young people.
Though he is responsible for Mbugua’s fall, Jonnie hopes Mbugua will support him to beat the PNU candidate.Jonnie is a lawyer and a shrewd businessman.
He graduated from the University of Nairobi and practiced law briefly before embarking on other businesses.“I lived in Eastleigh with my parents. I was brought up here and I understand quite well what the issues here are,” he says
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