Tribe should not count in Nairobi gubernatorial race, says Waweru

Nairobi: No part of the country has caught election fever like Nairobi County in the past one week.

Following the recent endorsement of Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat, city residents have been greeted with a flurry of political activities.

Aspirants jostling to succeed Governor Evans Kidero and their supporters in the last one week, especially those allied to Jubilee have come out to let their stand known.

Reacting to the endorsement of CS Wamalwa by a section of Jubilee MPs led by Kabete legislator Ferdinand Waititu, Nairobi MPs told off their colleagues and accused them of meddling in the affairs of the city.

More than 10 legislators from Western Kenya followed suit two days later, and even appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to endorse Wamalwa for the seat.

But even with talk that CS Wamalwa has the backing of top Jubilee leadership, Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru, one of those eyeing the city’s top job, has vowed that he will not step down for anyone.

Mr Waweru said he will be in the ballot next year, emphasising that he is not shaken by Wamalwa’s entry and other aspirants in the race to unseat Governor Kidero.

“Let it be known that I cannot leave the seat for anyone. I am positive that Nairobi residents will elect me their Governor in 2017,” said Waweru, who added that he welcomes more contestants to challenge him.

“I am not afraid of CS Wamalwa or any other candidates seeking the gubernatorial seat on a Jubilee ticket. I am ready to face them in the party nominations, which must be conducted in a free and fair manner,” he said.

With tribal playing a big role in Kenya’s politics and where the origin of a person counts, political parties especially in Nairobi will have to consider the ethnic arithmetic.

But Waweru who spoke to The Standard on Sunday yesterday, maintained that it will be unfair to lock out and victimise credible candidates just because of their ethnicity.

“Let each one of us be given an equal opportunity to ask for votes. The city residents should be left to decide freely and no candidate should be imposed on them after a meeting in a boardroom somewhere,” he said.

“No one chose to be born in Central Kenya. There is absolutely no reason for anybody to be uncomfortable with my candidature or that of anyone from Mt Kenya. Nairobi is a cosmopolitan county and no aspirant should be looked at through tribal lenses,” he added.