Eugene Wamalwa, Margaret Wanjiru seek to form alliance

Jubilee Nairobi aspirants from (left)CS Eugene Wamalwa, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru,Stephine Kariuki Rachael Shebesh and Moses Kuria at Jesus is Alive Ministries Nairobi where they declared interest in various seats within Nairobi County (PHOTO MOSES OMUSULA)

Nairobi, Kenya: Power brokers are misleading Deputy President William Ruto over the Nairobi gubernatorial race, Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko has claimed.

At the same time, Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, who Ruto is accused of fronting, and former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru have hinted at forming an alliance that will see one of them become the other's running mate.

Speaking in Reresik village in Ainamoi constituency, Mr Sonko said: "The Deputy President is surrounded by political brokers and conmen who have misled him into believing that if I become the Nairobi governor I would derail his 2022 presidential bid by discouraging Mt Kenya region from supporting him."

The Nairobi lawmaker was in Kericho for Baby Scandy's homecoming ceremony after a successful brain and eye tumour surgery in India funded by the Sonko Rescue Foundation.

Sonko's visit came hardly a week after Mr Wamalwa visited Bureti Constituency where his gubernatorial bid received support from Bureti MP Leonard Sang.

Sonko, who was accompanied by Governor Paul Chepkwony and Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat, assured Rift Valley residents that he would support Ruto in 2022.

"Let us understand each other. I will go across the country to campaign for President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election and I will do the same for Deputy President to take over the country's reins in the 2022 general election and afterwards I will also vie for the presidency," he said.

"Nairobi residents have already decided. We are therefore asking the Deputy President's advisers to advise him accordingly on who has the capacity to bundle Kidero out of office," he added.

Ruto has, however, maintained he does not support any candidate in the race, which has seen various leaders clash over the bid to unseat Governor Evans Kidero.

Yesterday, Bishop Wanjiru said she has been looking for a running mate specifically from the Luhya community.

"...and I also heard Wamalwa has been looking for a running mate from the Central region. This is a platform for us to work together," said Wanjiru who dismissed the speculation that she plans to forfeit her place following the big number of Jubilee aspirants lined up for the seat.

Wamalwa, who was present at Wanjiru's Jesus is Alive Ministries Church yesterday, made it clear that he had not yet declared his interest on the Nairobi seat apart from the supposed controversial endorsements and that he was fully engaged as the Water minister.

"But come 2017, I will be fully be in politics," said Wamalwa.

Wamalwa said he has worked with Wanjiru before when they were both MPs: "...and us coming together will be the beginning of a new chapter for this county."

Wamalwa added: "We are seeking to detribalise Nairobi politics. Nairobi does not belong to anyone as some leaders have claimed."