- Nominated MP Maina Kamanda has claimed Igathe is being pushed by some powerful people down the throats of Nairobians.
- Jubilee secretary general Jeremiah Kioni said the party had cleared Igathe to run for the Jubilee ticket.
Image: File
A major political showdown is looming as big guns scramble for the Jubilee ticket in the race for the Nairobi governor's seat.
The entry of corporate executive Polycarp Igathe has already triggered a political storm in President Uhuru Kenyatta's party.
Camps have emerged with at least four hopefuls gunning for the coveted ticket.
They include Igathe, Governor Anne Kananu, businesswoman Agnes Kagure and National Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Richard Ngatia.
With the aspirants intensifying campaigns, there are reports that the factional wars could threaten Jubilee's efforts to forge unity in the capital city.
Analysts say the ruling party must consolidate its support and hang on ODM boss Raila Odinga's popularity in order to capture the seat.
Nominated MP Maina Kamanda warned that, "Nobody will push Igathe down the throats of Nairobians."
“We have come of age. Igathe ran away from his job given to him by the electorate and is yet to apologise.We will put up a big fight against him,”Kamanda said.
“If he ran away without telling anyone and informing Nairobians, how sure are we that he won't abandon his job again?”
Igathe, a businessman-cum politician, resigned abruptly on January 2018 as Nairobi deputy governor saying he had failed to earn the trust of then Governor Mike Sonko.
He is said to have resigned as the chief commercial officer of the Equity Group Holdings Limited in readiness for the Jubilee Party nominations.
However, there are fresh fissures within the ruling Jubilee over who should fly the party's ticket for governor.
While some are pushing for nominations, others want consensus to pick the Jubilee flagbearers in the city.
"Nairobi needs a focused leader who will redeem the county from its ugly past," Roysambu MP Waihenya Ndirangu said.
"Let the best method be used to get the best candidate."
But Jubilee Mt Kenya Youth caucus chairman Linford Mutembei said President Uhuru will guide the county on succession politics.
"It is the President who will settle on his line up for Nairobi.We urge our aspirants to be mindful of that," he said.
Jubilee secretary general Jeremiah Kioni had on Monday revealed that Igathe had been given the nod to contest for the party ticket.
“Igathe is in the Nairobi governor's race. He has paid his nomination fees and also done everything he is required to vie for the seat,” Kioni said.
But Kamanda, a former Starehe MP, claimed Igathe is being backed by some powerful individuals who are ungrateful to the many Jubilee leaders who have fought for the party in the city.
“He is being pushed onto us from the back-door by some people, we will start exposing those faceless individuals behind him,” Kamanda said.
Kioni didn’t disclose the mode of nominations to identify the Jubilee flagbearer who will face Deputy President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza backed Johnson Sakaja.
The President's party had announced that it will hold its primaries between April 11 and 21.
Parties, according to the law, have until April 22 to conclude nominations and solve any emerging disputes.
They will then submit the names of their nominees to the IEBC on April 28 for gazettement.
Some politicians who have been allied to the Azimio la Umoja movement are said to be largely rebelling against Igathe's entry.
Sources say Igathe has the backing of some State House operatives to team up with ODM boss Raila Odinga's pick for a joint Azimio ticket.
However, Ngatia, who has has been very visible in the Azimio campaigns launched his bid for Nairobi governor and declared he was ready to battle for the Jubilee ticket.
“I am in this race to win. We want to start our victory to city hall by first securing the Jubilee party ticket,” Ngatia said on Sunday when he unveiled his candidature.
(Edited by Francis Wadegu)