Battle for Nairobi County assembly Speaker intensifies

By Roselyne Obala and Geoffrey Mosoku

Nairobi, Kenya: Lobbying for the Nairobi county assembly speaker has intensified as the battle narrowed down to a contest between TNA and ODM.

 ODM is banking on its majority of the 44 elected county representatives against TNA’s 41.  

ODM numbers will be bolstered further by its affiliates in Cord alliance, Wiper and FPK, which have two and one county representatives respectively. This makes it 47 out of 85.

This number is set to rise to 115 after nominations and ODM will still have numerical strength of 60 as it will nominate 16 county representatives against TNA’s 55 after securing 14 nomination slots 14.  

On Monday evening, candidates who have expressed their interest in the seat were holed up in strategy meetings to lobby for support.

Guard Awuonda, Habib Kongo, Tom Otieno Onyango and Evans Ondieki are seeking ODM’s nod to contest the seat while former nominated councilor Mutunga Mutungi and journalist Milton Nyakundi are seeking the Speaker’s seat on TNA ticket. Kevin Arwasa is seeking the Wiper ticket to contest while it is not clear which party Andrew Simiyu is banking on.

The youthful Simiyu, Arwasa and Nyakundi held a meeting at a city hotel on Monday.

“We have begun modalities of discussing with a few of agreeing one formidable candidate to support as youths,” Nyakundi added.

TNA is still yet to whom to support decide between Nyakundi and Mutunga as the party is planning for a retreat this weekend to come up with one candidate.

In ODM, lawyer Ondieki has since met Prime Minister Raila Odinga to seek his blessing to secure the ODM nod and has been meeting elected Cord county representatives.

Embakasi South County representative Ken Ngondi affirmed that they will depend on their numbers at the County assembly to win the available slots.

“We are a majority with 44 against 41 elected county representatives. This gives us an upper hand,” he stated.

Ngondi said the law dictates that the winner garners two thirds of the votes, which he admits will not be easy. 

“With the nominated slots filled, the stage is now set to ensure the winner get the required number,” he added.

Ngondi conceded that they will have to reach out to their opponents to carry the day.

He continued, “If we fail to get the required number in the first and second round, the candidate with the majority votes will become the speaker.”