Youthful coup in Nairobi after party primaries

From Left: Steve Mbogo, Babu Owino and Charles Kanyi Njagua

The city's political landscape has been associated with some names over the years. For example, Maina Kamanda and Bishop Margaret Wanjiru have been associated with Starehe politics while former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's name is synonymous with Langata and Kibera.

It is difficult to talk about Westlands without dropping the name of Fred Gumo, Beth Mugo in Dagoretti and Norman Nyaga in Kamukunji. But the political landscape is taking a new shape going by the recent party nominations. Young leaders have clinched both the ODM and Jubilee Party nominations including Charles Njagua Kanyi (Starehe, Jubilee), Babu Owino (Embakasi East, ODM), John Kiarie (Dagoretti South) and Steve Mbogo (Starehe, ODM) among others.

The charged and excited aspirants might not have the longevity of the old guard, comprising former President and Vice President Emilio Mwai Kibaki, who in 1963 was elected MP for Donholm constituency that was later renamed Bahati, then Makadara.

Back then City Hall was and still remains the springboard for politicians who serve there and then vie for various positions in the city. City Hall has seen former mayors and their deputies rise to become MPs. Margaret Kenyatta, daughter of the late and first Kenya's President Jomo Kenyatta, served as mayor from 1970-1976. The late Makadara MP Dickson Wathika and Nairobi ODM chairman George Aladwa have been mayors in the capital city.

Retreat

What puzzles many is the fact that the majority of politicians who cut their political teeth in the city don't stay long. After representing constituencies here, they retreat to their ethnic backgrounds.

Kibaki left in 1979, after facing serious competition in Donholm from Jael Mbogo, whom he had only narrowly beaten in 1969. He retreated to his Othaya rural home and represented Othaya until 2013, when he retired as President, having served two terms.

Politicians who have remained active in city politics are Wanjiru and Kamanda. The two are political rivals who have held the seat at different times. Kamanda won the seat in 2013 after being in the cold for some time. Wanjiru has declared her interest to unseat Kidero.

"My interest in leadership is within Nairobi, and I will go for the top seat of governor. Nairobians have faith in me and have demonstrated by electing my son as MP for Mathare and I also served in Starehe," Wanjiru said.

The city has also begun attracting politicians from all parts of the country. Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko, who is from the Kamba community and comes from Kwale in Coast, defeated Wathika during the Makadara by-election of 2010.