- Battle line is around Tim Wanyonyi and KCCI President Richard Ngatia.
- Raila on Sunday endorsed Wanyonyi for the top seat.
Image: JOHN NALIANYA
Two rival factions have emerged within Azimio La Umoja movement led by ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Each of the factions is tussling for a different line-up for Nairobi top seats ahead of April nominations.
The Star has established a fierce power struggle in the yet to be formed Azimio Coalition party over sharing of the City seats which has attracted who-is-who in the nascent coalition.
In the Nairobi race, the battle lines have been drawn with axes oscillating around Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru, and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
The other axis is being led by current governor Ann Kananu, businessman KNCCI President Richard Ngatia and nominated MP Maina Kamanda.
In team Wanyonyi, Sifuna will contest the senate seat in a race that will see him take nominated MP Maina Kamanda head-on after declaring his candidature late last year.
Also in the Waweru team is Woman Representative Esther Passaris who is defending her seat in the coming elections.
According to credible sources, nominated MP Beatrice Kwamboka will be fronted by the Ngatia team to battle it out with Passaris.
Makadara MP George Aladwa is claimed to be aligned to the Ngatia faction, an allegation the MP disputed saying he is focused on the top seat.
“I am not in anybody's lineup, I am the Chairman of the party and we need everyone on board including Ngatia, Waweru,” Aladwa told the Star.
Wanyonyi’s camp is campaigning on the platform of credibility, competency and suitability.
Speaking during the Sunday rally, Sifuna said they will advocate for a line-up that has people of integrity from MCA to the Governor.
“We want team Nairobi to be made of people of integrity and whose hands are not tainted,” he said.
They had their first joint public engagements in Dagoretti where Raila joined them for a church service and later a series of rallies in the Constituencies.
Apart from Aladwa, all the members of the Ngatia faction kept away from the Sunday events.
Aladwa who is the ODM Nairobi chairman told the Star he was not invited by the Wanyonyi team but instead attended after a special invitation by Raila.
“They were shocked to see me there, they were not aware of my coming. They planned their program without inviting other leaders,” Aladwa said.
The Wanyonyi axis got a major boost on Sunday after Raila endorsed the Westlands MP for the top county job during a rally in Dagoretti.
The ODM boss while introducing Wanyonyi to the crowd at Kawangware referred to the second-term MP as ‘gavana mtarajiwa’ loosely translating to the incoming governor.
“I am here with a big team. Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya, former Dagoreti South MP Dennis Waweru…Mama Beatrice Elachi and next Nairobi Governor Tim Wanyonyi," Raila said.
This is however has escalated tension in the fledging coalition with Aladwa saying the Raila’s remarks did not amount to endorsement accusing team Wanyonyi of spinning the statement.
“Governor mtarajiwa is not an endorsement, we will go the consensus way to determine who can deliver the seat,” Aladwa said on phone.
Ngatia also dismissed reports that the ODM chief endorsed Wanyonyi for the Nairobi Governorship seat.
Speaking during an interview with a local station, he said sentiments by Odinga during a rally in Kawangware should not be taken as an endorsement but just a normal political talk.
"I hear people are saying that Odinga has endorsed Wanyonyi but this is not true.. Everyone, as we speak, is Gavana Mtarajiwa. And even if he is endorsed, I don't fear anything I have enough support on the ground," Ngatia said.
The business tycoon said he was more than ready for a faceoff with Wanyonyi even in the Azimio la Umoja primaries.
"We do not fear anyone. I have held over 1000 meetings and I have gained enough support from the ground. Others are a newcomer but they will soon know that am a veteran," Ngatia vowed.
Edited by B. Marita