Igathe set to get Jubilee ticket for Nairobi seat

• Apr 8, 2022

Igathe set to get Jubilee ticket for Nairobi seat

By Justus Karanja

Email:thingiragema@gmail.com

Former Nairobi Deputy Governor Polycarp Igathe (pictured) has resigned from Equity Bank to run for the city top seat on Jubilee Party ticket.

Informed sources revealed that Jubilee is mooting picking its candidate for the seat through consensus to avert a fallout in the nominations.

Jubilee, which is in a coalition with ODM and other parties, forming the Azimio la Umoja-Kenya movement, is wants other aspirants for the seat to drop their ambitions and back Igathe.

Among those who have submitted applications to contest in the Jubilee Party primaries include current governor Ann Kananu, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Richard Ngatia and businesswoman Agnes Kagure.    

Already, Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga is under pressure from members of the influential Mt Kenya Foundation to anoint Igathe to contest for the governor’s seat on the coalition’s ticket.

The caucus comprising tycoons from Murang’a County, who have a big stake in city’s investments, want a trusted individual at the helm of Nairobi to cater for their interests.

They are pushing for Igathe to be paired with Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, a Luyha, as running mate.

The plot entails asking Raila to tell Wanyonyi to shelve his ambition for governorship and instead be Igathe’s running mate.

Igathe, who was impeached governor Mike Sonko’s deputy, resigned in a huff, accusing his boss of undermining him.

The developments come at a time another businessman with close ties to the system, Peter Wachira Njuguna announced his entry in the Nairobi gubernatorial race on a Jubilee ticket.

Njuguna, an architect and former chairman of the Architectural Association of Kenya, said it’s high time the city redeems itself to the level of other world class cities.

Key on his manifesto will be improving city infrastructure starting with bettering lives of people in the informal settlement, titling of land to end irregular demolitions, creating conducive business environment, decongestion of the city and economic empowerment of the youth and women through engaging them in community service and easily accessible health services as well as improving health facilities.

The businessman who is also the chairman of the Nairobi County Business District Association reiterated his commitment to support city hawkers by creating conducive environment to operate in.

Insiders averred that the Mt Kenya caucus initially wanted Ngatia but they are now having misgivings after documents questioning his academic credentials circulated in the media.

Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja and former Starehe MP Bishop Margaret Wanjiru are battling for the Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket for the top seat.