Senator Mutinda adds fire to Nairobi Woman Rep race

Senator Tabitha Mutinda (centre) with Senators Caren Nyamu, Hamida Kibwana, Beth Syengo, PSC Commissioner Johnson Mutham, and Dagoreti South MP John Kiarie during her empowerment programme and Nairobi Woman Rep bid launch at UON, Ngong Road, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The race for Nairobi County Woman Representative is shaping up with several leaders moving to stake a claim in the position following the decision by Nairobi County MP Esther Passaris not to defend her seat after serving two terms.

Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda launched her bid for Nairobi County MP in 2027 last Friday in an event where she received endorsement from 15 Members of Parliament representing various constituencies in the city and from various parts of the country.

Mutinda, who will be vying for the seat on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party ticket, will square it out with former Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga who emerged second behind Passaris in the last general election.

Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu (UDA) and former Nominated Senator Beatrice Kwamboka are among some of the aspirants who are preparing to woo the residents of the 17 constituencies in the city to support their quest to join the August house in 2027 with the seat now up for grabs.

“I believe that the experience that I have gained as a senator for the last three years has prepared me adequately to serve the people of Nairobi as their Woman Representative in the National Assembly in 2027 and I will be going around all the 17 constituencies and 85 wards to seek support,” said Mutinda.

Mutinda's endorsement by several Members of Parliament during the launch of her bid at Kenya School of Science in the University of Nairobi and attended by hundreds of women seems to give her a head start in the tight race that is likely to attract several candidates.

Passaris who attended the event and expressed her support for Mutinda is said to be keen on either being a Deputy Governor or contesting as a Member of National Assembly in the coming general election in one of the 17 Constituencies in the city of which she is yet to decide on.

“I have known Senator Tabitha Mutinda as a good leader who can take over from me as the Nairobi County MP it is now her responsibility to move around the county to convince residents to support her, however I know that there are other candidates who will be seeking the same seat,” said Passaris.

Parliamentary Service Commissioner Johnston Muthama said that Senator Mutinda had sought to contest against Senator Omanga for the Nairobi Woman Representative seat using the UDA ticket but was prevailed upon to step down and for that she was put in the nomination list for Senators.

The former Machakos Senator said that Senator Mutinda has now grown of age and with her experience in the last three years in the Senate where she serves as the Vice Chairperson of the Senate Finance and Budget Committee she has shown that she has the potential to serve the city resident in that position.

“I have served as a Member of Parliament for many years and I can spot a good leader from a distance that is why I am calling on Nairobi residents to support Senator Tabitha Mutinda in her quest to be the next Nairobi County MP and they will never regret,” said Muthama.

Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana said that Senator Mutinda was the best candidate that Nairobi can get as Woman MP calling for city residents to support her since she was young and well educated qualities that are required for someone representing the capital city.

Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie said Senator Mutinda was recently elected to the Board of Governance for the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) a significant global role where she represents East Africa, focusing on transparency, accountability and shaping development financing policies for the region and Africa

Nominated Senator Betty Syengo said that the city required a leader who is non-tribal and ready to serve all residents without discrimination and who is knowledgeable about the needs of the city dwellers stating that Senator Mutinda fits the bill for that position.

Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, Kibra MP Peter Orero and Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch rallied behind Senator Mutinda pledging to support her when she will hit the campaign trail seeking to become the second Nairobi County Woman Representative.

“I am currently reaching out to all the 85 Wards in the city through the Wekeza na Mama programme that seeks to empower women in the city through various groups as I prepare myself for the grueling campaign process ahead of me,” said Mutinda.

During the last general election Passaris who contested for the seat using the ODM Party ticket garnered 698,629 votes in a hotly contested race defeating Omanga who contested for the seat using the UDA Party ticket who garnered 586,246 votes.