Nairobi governor aspirant Mike Sonko has settled on Vivo Energy Managing Director Polycarp Igathe as his running mate.
Igathe emerged top among nine shortlisted deputies by the jubilee nominee to ouster incumbent Governor Evans Kidero.
They were former city town clerk John Gakuo, Dagoretti MP Denis Waweru, former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru, Jimnah Mbaru, Millicent Omanga, 2013 presidential hopeful James Kiyapi, Raymond Matiba and Janet Ouko.
Initially Sonko had opted to pick business mogul Chris Kirubi as his deputy but the tyco0n declined saying he has never met the politician. “how do you offer a job to someone you have never met, ” said Kirubi
By the time of going to press, Sonko was expected to deposit an agreement between him and Igathe with the party headquarters.
Sonko defeated former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth and Wanjiru in the nominations. He got 138,185 votes while Kenneth and Wanjiru got 62,504 and 7,654 respectively.
Sonko said he would be a “ground governor” and was keen on having an experienced executive as his deputy.
He promised to bring on board technocrat to formulate policy, implementation and pushing for Nairobi County of development and economic agenda.
The jubilee nominee has up his bid for the gubernatorial race with new image without the heavy gold and diamond rings and chains, the mohawk and other unconventional hair styles topped off with red, green, peroxide or other colourful dyes, the ripped jeans or zoot suits.
The controversial and flamboyant politicians is decking out in a conservative business suit since he clinhed the ticket.
Igathe has served as Uchumi supermarkets director from May 2015 to March 23, 2016. The running mate was groomed at South Africa Bottlers Company where he started as management trainee.
Other position previously held are chairman of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers,the Managing and Executive Director of Haco Industries Kenya and the director of Mercantile Insurance Company.
The soft spoken technocrat hit the headline early this year when he was involved in confrontation with Nominated Senator Paul Njoroge.
Njoroge shot in the air to stop workers from closing down a Shell petrol station he operated on Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
The former Starehe MP had threatened to ditch Jubilee Party run as Independent Candidate should Sonko fail to honour their Memorandum of Understanding.
“We had MoU with Sonko that whoever wins the nominations would pick the other as running mate,”said the Bishop.
The Bishop stated he had the much-needed experience in politics as well as matters of mobilization to enable jubilee clinch the seat.
Waweru, who is the current Dagoretti South MP, dropped out of the governor race before the nominations and said he would defend his seat. But he lost the primaries to comedian John Kiarie.
Omanga and Ouko lost the Nairobi women representative nominations to incumbent Rachel Shebesh.
Ouko is an educationist unsuccessfully vied for governor in 2013, Mbaru is a businessman and current chairman of Dyer & Blair Investments while Raymond Matiba is the former chairman Kenya Tourist Board and son of multiparty democracy crusader Kenneth Matiba.
Gakuo is still remembered as a top performing Nairobi town clerk. He was appointed Town Clerk in 2004 and for 3 years gave a performance which still linger in residents mind.
The former Town Clerk, who once initiated many changes in the city, including the greening of public spaces and removal of hawkers from the business district, resigned from Kidero administration barely one and a half years in office.Gakuo was a victims of a vicious fight for control of resources.