• On January 12, 2018 Igathe resigned barely six months after assuming office citing failure to earn the trust of his boss to enable him to deliver services to Nairobians.
• Igathe’s return brings in more ‘complications’ for other Jubilee aspirants who have also been cleared ahead of party nominations.
Image: File
Equity Group Commercial Officer Polycarp Igathe has refuted claims that he is President Uhuru Kenyatta's project in the Nairobi Gubernatorial race.
Speaking for the first time after Jubilee Party confirmed that he was eyeing the county’s top seat, Igathe officially confirmed of joining the race to become the city's fourth governor.
Setting the record straight, Igathe stated that he was optimistic that he will get the Jubilee ticket which will be unveiled on Thursday.
“I’m not President Uhuru Kenyatta’s project and neither I’m I being propelled by him. I am a project of Nairobi residents and above all, I am a project of God,” he said on KTN.
Igathe is not new in Nairobi politics as he was elected along side former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in 2017 .
During Jubilee party primaries in April 2017, State House ‘fished’ Igathe from Vivo Energy where he was the CEO.
The move was said to be necessary in order to moderate having a flamboyant Governor and a Deputy who was well versed with corporate management.
However, a few months into office, Igathe and Sonko developed a strained relationship .
On January 12, 2018, Igathe resigned, barely six months after assuming office citing failure to earn the trust of his boss to enable him to deliver services to Nairobians.
Opening up on his resignation, Igathe said during his tenure at City hall as Sonko’s deputy, he was not at any point assigned any duty as the Deputy Governor.
He explained that he was left in the dark as the county was being run as a one man show.
“For six months, I had not performed any duties. I was never approached or took part in the cabinet making at that time. I read the names in the newspapers just like anyone else. Even the nomination of the MCAs I was totally left out,” Igathe revealed.
The governor hopeful further explained that when he got to City hall, the system was designed to steal from the public which he felt was abuse of trust that Nairobi residents bestowed upon him.
“I stepped down to avoid abusing the trust bestowed upon me by God and the voters. Power belongs to the people, if you see you are going to betray your promises, step down. I could not stay in a public office doing nothing. I wake up to a calling not an alarm. That is why I exited and went quiet.”
Igathe spoke a few hours after ODM Gubernatorial aspirant Tim Wanyonyi announced that Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance will name its Nairobi governor seat flagbearer on Thursday.
The MP confirmed that negotiations are 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,” Wanyonyi said.
The Star has established that the Westlands MP had been summoned to State House on Tuesday morning on talks regarding the governor race.
“I can't confirm in detail about the meeting but I can assure you it's about Nairobi politics and the gubernatorial race,” a source, who sought anonymity, confided to the Star.
It was in that State House meeting that it is believed to have cleared the way for Igathe to be named Azimio-OKA candidate for the Nairobi governor’s seat.
Igathe’s return brings in more ‘complications’ for other Jubilee aspirants who have also been cleared ahead of party nominations.
They include Nairobi Governor Ann Kananu Businesswoman Agnes Kagure and Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Richard Ngatia.
It's now a wait and see as the Azimio La Umoja is set to reveal its candidate for Nairobi governor.