State House meeting fails to unlock Nairobi governor h**dache
Negotiations that will have seen Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi step down from the Nairobi governorship race yesterday hit a stalemate, after the candidate held his ground that he had gone too far to look behind.
High-profile sources told People Dailythat Wanyonyi’s candidature was the subject of discussions during a meeting held at State House between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
It was revealed that influential voices around the presidency had put a strong case that Wanyonyi pulls out of the contest in favour of corporate guru Polycarp Igathe and be paired with him as the running mate.
The thinking by the pro-Igathe group, according to the sources, is that with the presidential ticket having been assigned to Nyanza through Raila, the Jubilee wing of the Azimi- One Kenya should be handed the governorship of the city county.
Delicate negotiations
Those at the meeting included Governor Anne Kananu, business lady Agnes Kagure and Igathe.
“Uhuru made the proposal that Wanyonyi should step down and deputise Igathe saying ODM cannot have both the presidency and the leadership of the country’s capital county. Uhuru argued that he was keen to ensure the city is run as a corporate entity and he believes that Igathe is best-suited to do the job,” said the source who sought anonymity to speak freely on the delicate negotiations.
During the meeting that lasted between 8am and 11am, Raila is said to have put up the argument that it was too late to pull out the candidate.
“Raila sided with Wanyonyi that he had already built a strong network in the city and that it was too late to market the candidate who was being pushed,” said the source.
Following the stalemate, Uhuru and Raila agreed to meet today and issue a statement of the matter tomorrow.
It is understood that Wanyonyi, was adamant that he will rather retreat and defend his Westlands parliamentary seat rather than deputise a political greenhorn who is highly favoured by the Mt Kenya business elite.
Kananu is also said to have ceded ground saying she was keen to land a different position in an Azimio government.
Igathe was Governor Mike Sonko’s first deputy before he resigned in a huff citing irreparable differences with his former boss.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Wanyonyi said yesterday that the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance will name its Nairobi governor seat flag bearer tomorrow.
The MP, who addressed a press conference that lasted for only one minute 37 seconds, said negotiations were ongoing on who will be the suitable candidate.
“The coalition I belong to is in consultation and will be issuing a statement on Nairobi this Thursday. The decision of the coalition will be an addition or subtraction to my ambitions,” said Wanyonyi who appeared subdued.
He added: “Leadership is a calling and from the beginning, I always say ‘si mimi ni sisi’. I am still in the race.”
However, the legislator a few minutes later defiantly assured his supporters that he was still in the race and is hopeful he will get the ticket.
“Nataka niwajulishe kwamba bado niko kwenye kinyang’anyiro. Nairobi ni yetu sote sio ya wale wachache ambao wanafikiria wanaeza kutupanga (I want to assure you I’m still in the race. Nairobi belongs to all of us not the few who think they can manage us),” he said.
In a departure from his calm, measured and composed mien, Wanyonyi yesterday appeared subdued and coerced sending strong indications of a man under pressure and whose future could take a dramatic turn amidst competing interests in the Azimio coalition.
It also emerged that Raila had planned to unveil Wanyonyi as the outfits candidate for Nairobi but the move was cancelled at the last minute because of what officials termed as unavoidable circumstances.
Last week, Wanyonyi refuted claims that he had been convinced to step down from the race after a meeting with Raila.
And earlier yesterday, Jubilee Party also suspended issuance of tickets to candidates who have expressed interest in the Nairobi governorship race to allow what they termed as consensus building.
Refuted claims
Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni said the party was treating Nairobi as a unique case since the matter has already been picked by Uhuru and Raila, the Azimio la Umoja coalition principals.
“We are not doing interviews in Nairobi like we are doing for other counties. Nairobi is a unique county and that’s why we are taking time before we get the right candidate who will be able to compete with the Kenya Kwanza team. Currently, we are having talks that will help us build a consensus,” said Kioni.
The SG said the best candidate for Nairobi will be unveiled soon by the Azimio La Umoja principals. Currently, aspirants in Jubilee party who have expressed interest are: Kananu, businessman Richard Ngatia, Kagure and Igathe.
The Azimio candidate will face off with the Senator Johnson Sakaja who has been unveiled as a candidate for the Kenya Kwanza Alliance side.
But other sources close to the Westlands MP revealed that he might withdraw from the race following a three-hour parley he held with Raila at the former Prime Minister’s Capitol Hill offices in Upper Hill, Nairobi before Easter holidays.
He had been summoned for the meeting to be briefed on the hitherto behind-the-scenes discussions between the top leadership of his Orange Democratic Movement and that of Uhuru’s Jubilee who are the key drivers of the Azimio La Umoja coalition.
“Yesterday morning, Tim was called to State House to meet the principals of ODM and Jubilee for talks to advance on the meeting he had had with Raila before the Easter holidays,” one source said.
The source said during the Upper Hill meeting with the ODM leader, Wanyonyi was informed that there was discussion on who will contest in Nairobi.
“What happened yesterday at the State House was only to formalise the discussions at Capitol Hill a week earlier. Tim had already been prepared by his party leader. At the State House meeting, he was told to withdraw from the governorship race but be willing to back the Jubilee candidate as a running-mate. However, Mheshimiwa is of the view that he would rather defend his Westlands seat on an ODM ticket than go as a running-mate on a line-up that has very thin chances of winning the Nairobi seat,” the source said.
Embattled aspirant Ngatia dismissed Igathe candidature: “There is no way someone will just emerge from nowhere and be given the ticket. Some of us have not only devoted our time but resources in this quest. We are telling our party leaders to be keen on this matter.
