The race to clinch the governorship of the Kenyan capital has just gotten more complicated, with the latest entry to the race being the former Jubilee secretary-general Raphael Tuju.
Tuju resigned from his position in government per the law to vie for an elective position in the August general elections.
Talks had alluded that his vying for the Siasa governor’s seat. Later it was said that he was eyeing the Langata parliamentary seat.
According to a local daily, top Azimio leaders held talks with Tuju urging him to consider being the coalition’s flag bearer putting Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi’s political ambition of governing the city in limbo.
Even as Raila Odinga’s ODM party on Friday cleared him as the sole aspirant for the Nairobi governorship, he was set to give him the certificate next week.
The move was a knee-jack reaction to put up a strong fight against Deputy President’s, Kenya Kwanza’s candidate.
Initially, the race was seen as a race between Wanyonyi and Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Richard Ngatia.
However, with Tuju’s entry into the matrix, one can only guess what will happen considering Tuju’s political networks.
Tuju did not deny or confirm that such talks took place but added more fuel to the fire saying he could contest any seat in Siaya or Nairobi.
“Siaya is where I was born, but Nairobi is a place I have spent close to five decades, and so it is also my home and most likely for the foreseeable future. I can contest any seat in Nairobi or Siaya. This is the reality of the duality of my identity,” said Tuju.
He said he was in consultations with different political leaders and would make a formal announcement before Wednesday next week.
Nzioka Waita alluded the reports stating that he would deputize Tuju is fake news being peddled by his rivals.
“We have every reason to believe that our rivals sponsor this fake news for political expediency after sensing defeat. Lies and propaganda have become the trademark of Wiper campaigns, and its sympathizers have fashioned it as a tool to manoeuvre and hoodwink the public,” Waita said in a statement.
Waita will battle it out with Wavinya Ndeti, Mavoko MP Patrick Makau and Machakos County Assembly Speaker Florence Mwangangi, all in Wiper, in the race to be the Machakos governor.