Background: Dynamics and Demographics of Nairobi County @Okiya forrow.
Link: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000212811/ethnic-card-to-determine-aspirants-running-mates-in-2017-elections/?pageNo=1
Summary
In the race trying to partner:
Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru eyeing Evans Ondieki, a former Environment minister in Nairobi. Also eyeing nominated MP Johnstone Sakaja.
Former Starehe MP Margret Wanjiru had last Sunday hinted at working together with Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
Update poll Results from Center for African progress:
Source: http://www.centreforafricaprogress.org/politics-policy/sonko-and-nganga-are-the-voters-favourites-latest-poll-shows/
Mike Sonko ……………………….…………….40%
Evans Kidero …………………………………….32%
Dennis Waweru……………………………….11%
Margaret Wanjiru………………………………5%
Johnson Sakaja……………………………………5%
Miguna Miguna …………………………………2%
Fwamba N.C. Fwamba………………………1.5%
Undecided…………………………………………3.5%
Soma
Nairobi gubernatorial hopefuls have started hunting for running mates ahead of the 2017 General Election.
Some front runners say they are consulting widely to identify individuals who will boost their chances of winning the seat. Yesterday, Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru said he is engaging like-minded politicians in the city to put up a “winning team.”
“I am already having talks and I am sure of putting up a winning team,” he said after a meeting with a section of Gusii leaders.
The Gusii delegation was led by Evans Ondieki, a former Environment minister in Nairobi County Government. The meeting fell short of proposing Mr Ondieki as Mr Waweru’s running mate.
On talks that he could work with nominated MP Johnstone Sakaja, who is also eying the governorship, in forming an alliance, the MP said: “I am very open for any discussions and I am willing to work with anybody.”
Former Starehe MP Margret Wanjiru had last Sunday hinted at working together with Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
“I have been looking for a running mate from the Luhya community and I also heard Mr Wamalwa has been looking for a running mate from Central. This is a platform for us to work together,” she said.
Other aspirants include the incumbent Evans Kidero, Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko, nominated MP Johnston Sakaja, former aide to Raila Odinga, Miguna Miguna and the latest entrant Esther Passaris.
Ethnic arithmetic
And with the country’s politics still largely tribal, partnering with a majority community in the city is a plus to any contestant in tilting the arithmetic.
This explains why most aspirants are hunting for running mates from the Luhya community. In the last polls, Kidero was largely supported by the Luo, Luhya and Kisii communities that handed him a win against Jubilee’s Ferdinand Waititu.
Leading governor aspirants have started holding meetings with elected and opinion leaders from various communities in an effort to endear themselves to voters from across ethnic groups. Some have been engaging the leaders to come up with a political deal that could see them trade seats.
In their statement yesterday, the leaders from Kisii want a deal that will “give” them three MPs and 15 MCAs in the city.
A similar deal is also being pushed by a group of Luhya leaders who disclosed last Thursday that they had agreed on a deal with Waweru.
They challenged Wamalwa to become his running mate if he wants the community to support his political bid.
The group’s chairman Josephat Bukachi said the community had drawn a line up which will see the Kikuyu community support Luhya candidates for certain seats.
Mr Bukachi said the community had agreed to support Waweru for governorship in exchange for deputy governor seat, five MPs and 25 MCAs in Nairobi.
It is not yet clear whether Dr Kidero will retain his deputy Jonathan Mueke as his running mate in the battle to retain the seat.