Dennis Waweru: Handshake government should now take over from Sonko

Former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru has openly asked for the backing of the handshake principals to take over as the new governor of Nairobi County.

The jostling for the top city job started just a day after the dramatic impeachment of current governor Mike Sonko in what is threatening to end his ten-year tenure in politics.

Waweru who is a co-chair of the Building Bridges Initiative secretariat openly solicited for the backing of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition Chief Raila Odinga to usher in a handshake government in Nairobi.

“We have seen the clouds gathering in Nairobi. And now that I have passed the exams, nimetosha,” Waweru said, alluding to the record time collection of 6.2 million signatures.

There have been speculations that Uhuru and Raila could agree and sponsor a joint candidate to take over as governor and deputy governor in Nairobi.

ODM has been trading off with Jubilee on a key position at the county since the March 9, 2018 handshake.

For instance, the two agreed to have Nairobi County assembly speaker taken over by Jubilee while the deputy slot given to ODM after the exit of ex-Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

Waweru was among the gubernatorial aspirants in the 2017 election.

He, however, dropped out at the last minute, leaving the race to Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth and former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero who became fierce opponents to Sonko.

It remains unclear if Kenneth, now a close ally of the both Raila and President Kenyatta could contest.

Sonko’s impeachment process now heads to the Senate where his fate at the helm of the county would be determined.

Sonko could know his fate as early as next week when senators convene to consider his ouster by the county assembly.

This is after Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka received a notification from Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura on the assembly's resolution to impeach the embattled county boss.

Sonko was on Thursday impeached with 88 MCAs voting in favour of the motion.

Eighty-two votes from the 122 MCAs were needed to impeach Sonko.

The house has adjourned until February 9, 2021.

Two MCAs voted against the motion.