The Azimio One Kenya Coalition has settled on candidature of former Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe and Timothy Wanyonyi for the Nairobi gubernatorial joint ticket, The Informer has established.
The latest dynamics were informed by the coalition’s decision to avoid nominations for the contentious seat and opted to build consensus.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party, Raila Odinga’s-led ODM and Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party are said to have agreed to do horse-trading for the seat.
Igathe resigned as Equity Bank’s Group Director in charge of Customer Experience and Product Management and returned his nomination papers to Jubilee Party before nominations.
However, Wiper Party is also fronting Philip Kaloki as potential deputy governor or for the post of Nairobi County Assembly Speaker.
Azimio has formed a committee to look into areas where the coalition would field a single candidate to enhance its chances of winning and Nairobi is among the counties where the coalition mulls fielding one candidate for every seat.
Effectively, Agnes Kagure and Richard Ngatia both of Jubilee Party are likely to be prevailed upon to step down.
It is said that Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta settled on Igathe as the Nairobi candidate.
Igathe is likely to be deputised by Wanyonyi or Professor Philip Kaloki, politician and an expert in governance.
On the other had, the team settled on ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna as the preferred Nairobi Senatorial candidate over Maina Kamanda while Beatrice Kwamboka will be supported for the Nairobi County Woman Representative.
Kwamboka is considered as a strong candidate to face Millicent Omanga of Deputy President William Ruto’s led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
The current incumbent Esther Passaris has declared interests to defend her seat on an ODM ticket.
Azimio, a coalition of 26 parties, has attracted at least four aspirants, with three seeking the seat on the ruling Jubilee Party.
They include Governor Ann Kananu, businessman Richard Ngatia and businesswoman Agnes Kagure.
Westlands Member of Parliament Wanyonyi is the sole ODM aspirant for the seat.