Wanjiru way ahead of Waititu for city governor seat

By ALEX NDEGWA

The race for Nairobi’s gubernatorial seat is shaping up as a two-horse race between Housing Assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru and Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu, according to a new opinion poll.

An Ipsos Synovate survey conducted this month indicates Bishop Wanjiru has a nine-point lead over her closest rival Waititu.

Asked whom they would vote for among the 11 aspirants who have declared interest in the post, nearly a third of the respondents (29 per cent) preferred Wanjiru.

Waititu had the backing of 20 per cent of those polled in the survey commissioned by The Standard Group.

Religious standing

The Starehe legislator is seeking the position on an ODM ticket while Waititu is gunning for the sponsorship of The National Alliance of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

Former Mumias Sugar managing director Evans Kidero emerged third with 15 per cent, followed by investment banker Jimnah Mbaru who garnered 11 per cent support.

Former Nairobi Town Clerks John Gakuo and Phillip Kisia came a distant fourth and fifth with three and two per cent, respectively.

The survey conducted on December 8 and 9 interviewed 800 respondents who were spread out among the 17 constituencies.

Champion for rights

A quarter of Wanjiru’s supporters cite her good development record while 16 per cent like her for her religious standing.

However, majority of her critics (17 per cent) disapprove of her mixing religion with politics.

Waititu’s core supporters (41 per cent) say he is a champion of the rights of the common man, but a nearly equal number (38 per cent) say they are put off by his candidature because he is violent and rowdy in doing so.

In a spontaneous response before the list of aspirants was disclosed, the gap between the frontrunners narrowed.

Wanjiru polled 18 per cent to Waititu’s 14, Kidero 11, Mbaru seven, Gakuo three and Kisia two per cent.

The challengers

When prompted with a list of candidates, some of the 10 per cent of the undecided voters made up their minds.

It is an indicator that voters will decide once they know which candidates will be on the final ballot.

The aspirants have attracted even support among males and females, signaling gender might not have a major influence on the race.

However, slightly more men (18 per cent) than women (17 per cent) support Wanjiru’s candidacy for governor.

Waititu has the backing of 14 per cent men and 13 per cent women.

Twice as much men (14 per cent) support Kidero compared to women (seven per cent).

Going by the survey findings, Wanjiru and Waititu are the frontrunners to secure tickets of their respective parties in the party primaries scheduled for next month.

Which seat, sonko?

Wanjiru has a 14-point lead over her closest challenger for the ODM ticket, Kidero, while the gap between Waititu and Mbaru, who is also eyeing the TNA ticket, is nine percentage points.

There is the perception that Makadara MP Gidion Mbuvi alias Mike Sonko is running for governor because three per cent of the respondents supported him before the list of aspirants was disclosed to them.

Sonko is on record expressing interest in the senate seat.