Kenya Insights

Tag: Nairobi gubernatorial race

  • Luhya Leaders In ODM Blocked Wanyonyi’s bid

    Luhya Leaders In ODM Blocked Wanyonyi’s bid

    Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi during a CDF functions on Sunday explained that he bolted out of the Nairobi gubernatorial race because ODM leader Raila Odinga had received Jubilee backing for presidency and therefore they had to relinquish the Nairobi seat.

    Wanyonyi had been touted as the best candidate to occupy Nairobi seat but his ambition was shot down after negotiations with the Jubilee party which will field Polycarp Igathe.

    “Because of the arrangement of parties to work together, it comes along with its challenges. And it is due to those challenges that it was agreed that because ODM had been given the presidency, we had to relinquish the Nairobi Governor’s seat for Jubilee,” Wanyonyi said.

    But what’s not known to many is that Wanyonyi’s bid had been shot down by ODM leaders from his own Luhya backyard. A section of Luhya leaders identifying themselves as ‘Mulembe Grass root Leaders’ drawn from the ODM party had in January stated that Nairobi was their only bargaining for power.

    That was never the case when it came to negotiations. The group led by Vincent Shimoli and drawn from Nairobi’s 85 wards had endorsed Hon. Tim Wanyonyi as their candidate but never backed him during the Azimio negotiations.

    In fact, those who loudly shot down Wanyonyi’s bid are Luhya leaders who have been in bed with Jubilee even way before the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

    So Wanyonyi did not step down but was pushed down by his own people led by former Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi who is conveniently in ODM under the instructions of her spin masters who are Jubilee big wigs.

    Prior to her nomination as the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) in the Ministry of Public Service and Gender, Elachi spent all her precious time abusing ODM leadership and Simba Arati.

    Dogoret North parliamentary aspirant Beatrice Elachi. She opposed Wanyonyi’s gubernatorial bid [p/courtesy]
    But in the run up to ODM party primaries, she became a sweetheart begging Tim Wanyonyi and SG Edwin Sifuna to help her secure the party ticket to run for Dogoreti North Constituency seat.

    She is a Judas who has no right and moral authority to talk about Luhyas and on behalf of Hon Tim Wanyonyi. The former Jubilee nominated senator has never supported any course that favors the Mulembe nation.

    Elachi is part of a pack of vindictive and dreadful wolves which include top Luhya leaders in ODM who are not happy with Wanyonyi’s fast and stable rise in politics.

    The cabal of Luhya leaders who feel that Wanyonyi is becoming a threat in ODM succession matrix coerced Odinga to throw him, under the bus.

    Because Wanyonyi as the governor of Nairobi would definitely lead to emergence of a new crop of Luhya leaders who would take from the likes of Wycliffe Oparanya who is retiring as Kakamega governor.

    In a nut shell, Luhya leaders in ODM chose to stifle democracy by sacrificing Hon. Tim Wanyonyi, a person living with disability, loyal member and supporter ODM to support of a political novice.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Is Sakaja conveniently Luhya for political advancements?

    Is Sakaja conveniently Luhya for political advancements?

    As candidates race to capture the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in the coming August polls, ethnicity remains a factor that will play a huge role as it is the norm in Kenyan politics.

    The Luhya community for instance feels that it is their chance to occupy the City Hall after backing their Luo neighbors in the two previous polls.

    In early 2022, a group of individuals identifying themselves as ‘Mulembe Grass root Leaders’ demanded that the Nairobi governor seat be preserved for them.

    They argued that the presidential seat is heading to Luo Nyanza and the deputy president position heading to the Mt Kenya region and so the Nairobi seat was their only bargaining power.

    But not only the distribution of positions, Luhyas also have numbers to front for the coveted seat in Nairobi and their candidate can attract other ethnic groups that vote alongside Luos like the Kisiis, Kambas and others tribes from the coastal region who reside and vote in the country’s capital.

    This has led to many politicians eyeing the seat to front themselves as Luhyas though the seat can go to any Kenyan not necessarily a Luhya.

    Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja is man rumored to be Teso, Luhya, Saboati, Kalenjin, Luo and many more but for political reasons and for his quest to clinch the Naiorbi seat, the man says he is a Luhya.

    Sakaja began positioning himself as a Luhya eyeing the Nairobi seat when he maintained walking around ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi in every political gathering to identify with the Mulembe nation.

    But the young senator is always and silent when Luhyas are under attack or in need of a political voice to defend them.

    He was a no show during a mass lay off of City Hall employees where a majority of those affected were from the Luhya community.  City Hall cartels kicked them out on a lazy belief that they were illegally awarded jobs when Beatrice Elach was the Speaker of Nairobi County Assembly but they went through a competitive process.

    Majority of the staffers at the City Hall are from the Kikuyu community followed by Kenya-Somali which ought to have been the targets.

    Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi and Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja [p/courtesy]
    Sakaja who sits at the senate and ‘was not a Luhya’ then, remained silent when he was expected to raise his voice as a way of playing his oversight role to defend the people he expects to vote for him in the August 9 polls.

    He chose to sit on the fence despite being fully aware that auditing firm, Powerhouse Coopers (PWC) was hired to formulate strategies to streamline City Hall and kick out ghost workers when Elachi came to power.

    Elachi succeeded Alex Magelo who was the speaker Abdi Guyo was the Majoity Leader and Jacob Ngwele the clerk, meaning there were more Somalis, Maasai and Kambas in high ranking positions than Luhyas.

    PWC found out that many Luhyas had been overlooked due to their political incorrectness and advised that they be promoted.

    But the move angered cartels and Guyo who Sakaja had no nerves to take on as they directed for the demotion of Luhyas despite them being promoted by Public Service Commission (PSC) based on merits.

    They approached Sakaja for assistance since the matter had turned into case of nepotism but the self professed Super Senator kicked them out of his office.

    May be he was not a Luhya then or he feared that he could also be exposed since he has been involved in mega scandals including Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) where tenders were awarded to politically connected individuals.

    Sakaja who is flying UDA gubernatorial flag in Nairobi was part of the Sh.7.8 billion PPE scandal at the State Agency. He was reported by the then procurement director Charles Juma who was grilled by Public Investments Committee.

    The UDA politician also came under scrutiny in the run up to 2017 elections after his transcripts were shared online showing that his academic grades oscillated between Es and Ds.

    He was eyeing the gubernatorial seat then but after being deconstructed by exiled Kenyan lawyer Dr. Miguna Miguna who was also eyeing the same seat, Sakaja shelved his ambitions and went for the senatorial seat. He is back and eyeing the gubernatorial seat as a Luhya.

    He will face off with Jubilee’s Polycarp Igathe who was endorsed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga. Before Igathe’s endorsement, the race had shaped up to be a battle between Sakaja and ODM’s Tim Wanyonyi who was coerced to shelve his bid and back Igathe.

    Wanyonyi who belongs to the Luhya extract was expected to give Sakaja a run for his money given his long political experience in Nairobi and a track record that speaks volumes.

    Sakaja who remains desperate for Luhya support was quick to pose with the Westlands MP for a photo to woo the Luhya nation just moments after Wanyonyi dropped his bid.

     

     

     

  • Why Tim Wanyonyi is Nairobi’s safest hand

    Why Tim Wanyonyi is Nairobi’s safest hand

    Westland MP Hon. Tim Wanyonyi Wetang’ula unveiled his ambitions to become the next governor of Nairobi on November 14 2021 with his bid receiving a boost after he was endorsed by ODM supremo Raila Odinga in January 2022.

    Wanyonyi launched his bid for the Nairobi top seat under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket and has maintained spirited campaigns to inherit the seat from Anne Kananu in August.

    “Fellow residents of Nairobi, I speak not from mere theory but from a firm knowledge and understanding of the affairs of Nairobi. Having served in Nairobi County for a total of fifteen years, I am well aware of what residents of Nairobi require and I will fix it!” Wanyonyi said.

    He’s banking on his untainted image and proper use of CDF funds as legacies to propel him to the helm at City Hall. Wanyonyi is promising to transform Nairobi to realize its full potential as the region’s business hub with increased use of ICT in service delivery.

    Wanyonyi who has been active in Nairobi for over 15 years serving as a Councillor and MP, has vowed to transform the Kenya’s capital into a smart city if he wins the August 9 polls.

    He will face Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja who will fly UDA’s flag, Tycoon Richard Ngatia who is expected to run on a Jubilee Party ticket, Agnes  Kagure and other questionable characters who have announced their quest for the seat.

    Hon. Wanyonyi has called for peaceful and issue-based politics ahead of the August 9 polls as he castigated politicians engaging in confrontational politics and urged them to seek solutions to challenges facing Nairobi residents.

    “Instead of engaging in dirty politics and attacking our competitors, we should be telling our constituents what we can do for them,” said Wanyonyi.

    He has recieved the backing of more than 30 Nairobi MCAs including Imara Daima’s Kennedy Obuya who called on ODM party leadership to throw its weight behind the Westland’s lawmaker. Karen MCA David Mberia also added that they will rally their support behind Wanyonyi’s candidature not because of coercion but because of his track record which speaks volumes.

    Controversial businessman Richard Ngatia [p/courtesy]
    So far the debate there is heated as to whether Azimio La Umoja coalition should settle on one candidate between Wanyonyi and Ngatia.l with latest entrant Polycarp Igathe complicating the matrix.

    Wanyonyi believes he is the man because Ngatia is a controversial figure whose name has been in the mad for years. He is the man behind a controversial firm that got over Sh1 billion contracts for Covid-19 medical supplies at the centre of the Sh63 billion medical kits scandal.

    Kenyan senate said the said the deal was conceived like a criminal enterprise with a damming report by the Senate showing that Ngatia’s Megascope Healthcare Ltd was part of the rip-off and should be investigated by the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission (EACC).

    Ngatia who doubles as the president of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry also has the authenticity of his degree certificate under scrutiny.

    Serious questions began surrounding the education credential’s of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s affluent after UK officials disowned his purported university degree which is obligatory for all candidates seeking the governor position.

    Agnes Kagure, Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant [p/courtesy]
    The British Commissioner of Education the Director-General answerable for Higher and Further Education Paul Kett stated that there is no single university in the United Kingdom that has ever admitted Richard Ngatia.

    “To the best of our knowledge, we would wish to state as follows; there is no University within the territory of the United Kingdom that has ever admitted Mr. Richard Ngatia, or any other student from Kenya by that name, as student in the UK.” Kett stated.

    Wanyonyi who is a lawyer by profession will also face off with Agnes Kagure, a dreaded fraudster who has many land cases including Sh500 million land grab scandal in Karen.

    But with rumors doing rounds that there are ongoing consultations to coerce Wanyonyi to back another candidate, the Westlands MP has affirmed his resolve to the ballot.

    He has refuted claims that he will drop his bid of becoming the city’s administrator to become the running mate to Ngatia of the Jubilee party under the Azimio la Umoja ticket.

    Wanyonyi who also enjoys the backing of Ida Odinga the spouse to Raila, remains ODM’s front candidate and enthusiasts are vowing to stand up with him. On matters integrity, he stands out from the rest of his competitors many of whom are battling corruption cases in different fields.

    When Nairobians voted in Evans Kidero as the first governor, many weren’t aware of his dark past as a corporate fraud who sunk Mumias Sugar, later, the reality became, Kidero ended up being one of the most corrupt governors in the first dispensation of devolution. Since leaving office, the former governor who’s conspicuously scheming to occupy Homa Bay gubernatorial seat, has been spending most of his days in abs out of court battling corruption cases that he engineered in his tenure.

    Nairobi is at a point of making a choice and going through the options of better leadership, there’s an obvious safe hand.