Wamalwa best bet for Nairobi governor

The battle for elective positions is fast taking shape even as Kenyans prepare to vote in new leaders in less than a year.

And apart from the presidency, Nairobians can expect a bruising battle for the lucrative governor’s post. Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa is preparing to face other contestants, including the incumbent, Evans Kidero, in the battle to become governor of the richest county.

Some say leadership in Nairobi is difficult and needs a near-violent type of leader. This notion is unfortunate because no one wants violence. Let us not rationalize hooliganism in the name of leadership. In this day and age, only the law should hold sway. Fidelity to the Constitution makes perfect sense as it yields order and good governance.

William Henry Channing says the great hope of society is in individual character. Wamalwa comes across as a sober leader of great character. Unlike some of his would-be rivals, the CS exhibits a calm, unassuming and charismatic mien, just like his older brother, the late vice president Michael Kijana Wamalwa.

He is not a war-monger. Instead, he oozes measured courage and remains convincingly audacious as a leader. His steely determination and pragmatism give him the temperament of an ambitious, suave, political operative, with the finesse and charm of a go-getter. These are qualities a 21st century capital city in a developing world should be thirsting for. Nairobi would do well with an injection of fresh ideas and Wamalwa would provide just that.

The CS chose not to contest the Saboti parliamentary seat in 2013 because he had his eyes on bigger things. It is likely he’ll gun for president one day and the race for the city’s top job sets the perfect stage for him.