Sakaja picks banker as deputy for city governor election

Absa Bank Kenya Ltd Chief Operating Officer (COO) James Njoroge Muchiri [File]

Nairobi Governor aspirant Johnson Sakaja has picked Absa Bank Kenya Ltd Chief Operating Officer (COO) James Njoroge Muchiri to deputise him in his bid.

The duo will now battle it out with Azimio’s Polycarp Igathe-Philip Kaloki ticket who will fly the flag in the City. Prior to being chosen to deputise Sakaja, Mr Muchiri tried his luck in Nyandarua governor seat under the United Democratic Alliance ticket in the just concluded party primaries but lost to to businessman Kiarie Badilisha.

Kiarie garnered 11, 696 while Njoroge came second with 9,700 votes. He has an illustrious banking career, serving as the Director of Technology and Operations in two regional banks in Tanzania and Botswana. The COO is an alumnus of Alliance High and Mang'u High Schools and holds a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Corporate and business moguls now seem to have key interest of joining politics just like Mr Njoroge, governor aspirant Polycarp Igathe is also from the banking sector where he was the Equity Group Chief Commercial Officer. The two are said to be best fit to run the city as they are said to have vast skills and knowledge from the corporate world.

Before joining banking Mr Njoroge previously served as a Computer Science Lecturer at the University of Nairobi and as an Information Technology consultant at KPMG a global network. He then joined Standard Chartered Kenya, working as a Project Manager and later served as the Director of Standard Chartered in Botswana.

Later he joined NIC Bank as its Director of Technology and Operations and Managing Director of the NIC Bank Tanzania In Absa, he served as Director of Digital Banking, Customer Network Director and currently the Chief Operating Officer.

The battle lines for Nairobi are now drawn as Orange Democratic Movement Secretary General Edwin Sifuna was handed the senator ticket while incumbent Esther Passaris will fly the Woman Representative flag. On the other hand, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru will vie for senator seat, while Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga flying the woman rep seat under the UDA party.