I am ready for a bruising battle; Governor Evans Kidero tells DP William Ruto

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has dismissed Deputy President William Ruto's intentions to win Nairobi Gubernatorial race and promises Jubilee a bruising contest.

Kidero assured Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) supporters that he would do all in his powers to ensure the opposition expands its dominance of city politics and harvest the most votes for Raila Odinga presidential bid.

In response to Ruto's last week's outburst about Jubilee taking Nairobi, the governor told DP to know that Nairobi has its 'owners' and he will be ready for a showdown against Jubilee come 2017.

"I will teach him a political lesson. I will ensure the seat of the governor of Nairobi remains in Cord. Ruto should be told that he doesn't understand anything about Nairobi politics," said Kidero.

Kidero was speaking at well attended voter sensitisation rally at Kibra's Laini Saba Grounds over the weekend.

Ruto had during a service at Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Dandora, Nairobi said the Jubilee Party will ensure it clinches the Nairobi Governor seat as the county is the hub of the national government.

The Deputy President urged Nairobi leaders to be ready to make sure a Jubilee aspirant wins the seat in the 2017 general election.

"This time round we will ensure Nairobi county has a Jubilee Governor. It is not possible for the national government to be headed by Jubilee while the leading county is headed by a governor from a different coalition," Ruto had said.

Already a Luhya caucus living in Nairobi at a meeting in Kawangware resolved to support Jubilee's Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru for the governor's seat on condition that he picks Nairobi politician Fwamba NC Fwamba as running mate

The youthful Fwamba is a close ally of Water and Irrigation CS Eugene Wamalwa.

Wamalwa is expected to have a big say in the yet to be formed Jubilee Party (JP) on whose ticket Waweru is expected to seek the nod to lead Nairobi County in the 2017 gubernatorial contest.

It also emerged that if the deal works out, Luhyas under the Jubilee Alliance will front candidates where they are majority on the Jubilee ticket.

The initiative intends to capture at least 20 MCA seats and 6 parliamentary seats in Nairobi.

In the 2013 general elections, Mr Fwamba was a running mate of Wiper Mutinda Kavemba for the Nairobi Governors seat where they tied on third position with Investment banker Jimna Mbalu after Kidero and now Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu.

The gubernatorial contest for Nairobi will be interesting if the Waweru-Fwamba ticket is endorsed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, his DP Ruto and Eugene Wamalwa.

Former Housing Assistant Minister Margaret Wanjiru and former Raila Odinga's aide Miguna Miguna are said to be warming up for the gubernatorial contest in 2017.

At the same time Kibra 2017 Parliamentary aspirant Eliud Owalo has urged the electoral agency to put in place adequate infrastructure to facilitate the voter registration that starts today.

Speaking during an opposition voter sensitization rally attended by a mammoth crowd at Laini Saba grounds in Kibra, Mr Owalo stated that any electoral process including but not limited to voter registration is centered around the polling station.

"It is imperative that IEBC provides adequate voter registration equipment at all the polling stations in the country instead of making the Ward the centre of activity and focus," said Owalo.

The Nairobi-based management Consultant who is widely perceived to be a front-runner for the Kibra seat in the 2017 parliamentary race further demanded that the Government issues Identity Cards to all eligible youth in Kenya without any form of discrimination.

He noted that it is an inalienable right anchored in law and deeply-embedded in the constitution for the Government to issue identity Cards to all eligible youth.

The former Head of CORD Secretariat reiterated his earlier position that the 2017 elections must meet the international threshold and standards of a free and fair election.

"What we want is a free, fair and credible election that meets the international standards. If these are not met, the opposition will reject the results, causing dire consequences," said Owalo.