Bigwigs from the Azimio la Umoja coalition snubbed businesswoman Agnes Kagure’s official launch of her campaign for Nairobi governor ahead of the August 9 general election though they had been invited. Sources revealed that Kagure had invited all the Azimio leaning leaders in Nairobi, including Raila Odinga, but none of them showed up.
Also invited were current Nairobi MPs, MCAs, woman rep and aspirants eyeing various seats in the capital city. The only notable guest was Tingania East MP Mpuru Aburi who said his brother Raila had sent him. Aburi is son of Jaramogi Odinga. Kagure remained a lonely and deserted person at the function, and kept on reaching out to would-be chief guests on mobile phone with little success.
KagureStressed and bitter, Kagure could not even read her speech, but after the function that was a family affair, she left in a huff. Those who were ferried to grace the occasion at Moi Kasarani International Sports Centre were left stranded as they were not paid allowances.
Other bigwigs the aspirant had invited included Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju, vice chair David Murathe and former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda. But nonetheless, Kagure went ahead to launch the campaign at the Kasarani Indoor Arena with family members and friends attending the event.
Kagure had earlier announced she would be seeking the seat using the Jubilee party ticket. Kagure said she had invited Raila and Ida Odinga to the function. To put on a brave face, Kagure told the crowd she believed those who missed her event could have joined Raila in celebrating his 77th birthday at Bomas of Kenya.
The crowd could not keep silent as many broke into laughter, and made noises. By invoking Raila’s name, Kagure showed she was keen to win the ODM leader’s support. To sum up the bad day for Kagure, as she read her speech, the curtain decoration behind her fell exposing the bare background.
She had paid a television station to air the function live which backfired as people now saw the shody show. Kagure now joins Governor Anne Kananu and Margaret Wanjiru as the women who have expressed interest in the seat. Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee and Raila’s ODM are considering fielding a joint candidate for the Nairobi seat under the Azimio la Umoja coalition in this year’s election.
Kagure’s name first featured last year when the courts struck off impecahed governor Mike Sonko’s case paving the way for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to announce the date for the by-election. It was then reported that ODM and Jubilee were considering fielding a joint candidate for the by-election that IEBC had slated for February 18.Kagure’s name was among the two the two parties – Jubilee and ODM – had submitted to IEBC of the aspirants cleared to contest their respective primaries. Jubilee had cleared her together with former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru who was the Building Bridges Initiative co-chairman.
Tuju confirmed the two names had been submitted to the IEBC. But the by-election did not take place after the High Court barred IEBC from conducting it until the determination of several cases challenging Sonko’s ouster were heard. The court later lifted orders barring Kananu from being sworn in as the third governor. In mid-November last year, Kananu officially took over as the third governor of Nairobi city county after she was sworn in in a brief ceremony officiated by Lady Justice Lilian Mutende at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. She became the first female governor of the capital Nairobi. Kananu has declared she will defend her seat, saying her silence should not be misconstrued to mean that she is not interested in defending her position.
Other sources revealed that United Democratic Alliance associated with William Ruto is weighing the pros and cons of fielding Wanjiru for the governor’s seat. Insiders in UDA revealed that party chairman Johnson Muthama, has cautioned Ruto against fielding Wanjiru, arguing that she is a weak candidate. Wanjiru is also said to be broke and this is evidenced by the stalling of the construction of the 12-storey Jesus Is Alive Towers on Heile Selassie Avenue in Nairobi. There are also reports that Nairobi Senator Johnston Sakaja, is undecided on whether to go for the seat on Amani National Congress ticket or defend his senatorial seat. Of late, talk within UDA has it that in case Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC and Ruto’s UDA enter into a power sharing deal, Sakaja should be fronted for governorship.
If the power deal flops, Sakaja will be positioning himself to face Wanjiru in UDA nominations. Already, Jubilee has severed relations with Sakaja after he started opposing its policies at the senate. Sakaja is now torn between goings for the seat on ANC or defend the senatorial seat using Mudavadi’s party.
There are also reports that Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi who was endorsed by ODM leader’s wife, Ida, is back to the drawing board after Raila made it clear the Azimio will filed either Kenya National Chamber of Commerce president Richard Ngatia or any other aspirant from the Kikuyu community. Wanyonyi who had earlier expressed interest in the Bungoma governor’s seat is now undecided as whether to go for the Bungoma seat or defend his legislative seat. Wanyonyi launched his governor’s bid at KICC in Nairobi.
Suprisingly, no top ODM luminaries graced the occasion apart from party secretary general Edwin Sifuna, raising eyebrows. Those who have launched a bid for city job are Wanyonyi, Kagure Ngatia, Wanjiru, Sakaja, Kananu and Makadara MP George Aladwa. When he launched his bid for Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry at KICC years back, Ngatia’s fete was well attended and political analysts say his bid is likely to shock many.
Political analysts say that Ngatia, a man with roots in city’s Westlands’ region and by virtue of two former city governors, Evans Kidero and Sonko being from Eastlands, he will be forced to pick a running mate from the voter rich Eastlands. Already, word has it that Aladwa is lobbying to be his deputy with MCA Peter Imatwok out to replace Aladwa as MP. For Kananu, her launch is being worked on by her strategists.
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