Jubilee MP calls for fairness in nomination of governorship candidates

Roysambu Member of Parliament, Isaac Ndirangu, has called on his Jubilee party to ensure fairness in the nomination of the party’s candidate for the 2017 Nairobi governorship race.

Ndirangu said that imposition of a candidate to the people of Nairobi would lead to a backlash from the voters which may affect its chances of winning the seat.

“If we impose a candidate on the people of Nairobi, we risk receiving a backlash that may be characterized by a protest vote,” he told Citizen Digital on Monday.

The MP further noted that the people should be allowed to decide on whom they want to carry the party flag in the race to ensure the vote is a true reflection of the people’s will.

He hit out at current Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero over apparent under development saying Roysambu Constituency, for instance, has seen minimal development during his tenure.

“85 per cent of development projects should be done by the county government and that is why the governorship race carries so much weight,” he said.

“Roysambu Constituency, for instance has only seen Ksh 100 million in development yet the figure should amount to between Ksh 4.5 to Ksh 5 billion in the five years.”

He further stated that the county needs a person who would deliver on his mandate saying not even the President and his deputy can have a say in Nairobi politics.

“President Uhuru Kenyatta has helped implement some development projects in Nairobi through the National Youth Service, but most of what is needed falls wholly under the county government,” stated the Roysambu Legislator.

“The people, therefore, need someone who will improve garbage collection, water supply, sanitation and roads in the county.”

He stated that the success that TNA, an affiliate party in the Jubilee coalition, experienced in the 2013 Parliamentary election was due to the freewill given to the people to pick their candidates adding that the same system should be upheld in 2017.

Ndirangu’s sentiments come amid growing unrest within Jubilee over apparent endorsement of Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa for the Nairobi seat.

A section of MPs have claimed that the endorsement was ill-advised calling on Jubilee hierarchy to embrace democracy in the picking of party candidates.

On Sunday, Deputy President William Ruto, who has been linked to the push for Wamalwa’s candidature, distanced himself from the claims saying everyone in the party should battle it out for the positions they are interested in.

“Even President Uhuru and I are hunting for votes, why would anyone claim they have been endorsed to run as the party’s preferred candidate?”

Wamalwa last week broke his silence on the matter, saying he is ready to face his opponents in the ballot, a call that has been welcomed by Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko who is also eyeing the same seat.

Other Jubilee leaders eyeing the position include Dagoretti North MP Dennis Waweru and Bishop Margaret Wanjiru.

Miguna Miguna (Independent) and Evans Kidero (CORD) are other candidates eyeing the seat.

@benjaminwafula