Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper party has defied Azimio la Umoja One Kenya’s move to zone Nairobi by fielding candidates across the capital city, setting the stage for a bruising battle among candidates in the coalition.
This comes after the party issued certificates to seven MP and 35 ward representative candidates.
Wiper Nairobi chairperson Roy Kivusyu said the party had been left disadvantaged by the zoning system , with only the deputy governor’s position and one MP seat, Embakasi South.
This happened, he said, despite the party controlling a sizeable number of votes in the city that could determine which way the governor, senator and woman representative seats will go.
“There is no way you can ignore Wiper in Nairobi. We are ready to be under Azimio but under an equal three-legged coalition,” said Mr Kivusyu.
In the Azimio deal unveiled by the coalition’s presidential candidate Raila Odinga two weeks ago, Jubilee was given the governor’s seat, Wiper the deputy governor and ODM the senator, woman representative and the county assembly Speaker.
The capital was also to be zoned according to the respective strength of the three major parties, where both Jubilee and ODM were each to get eight of the 17 constituencies and Wiper one.
The fielding for MCA seats was also to follow party strength so as to lock out rival Kenya Kwanza from bagging any seat in the city.
But Mr Kivusyu said as far as Wiper knows, the negotiations did not touch on MP and MCA seats but the other top seats.
He argued that giving Wiper only one MP seat was like undermining the numerical strength of the party, which draws its members mostly from the Kamba community.
He said the Kamba community is the second-largest voting bloc in Nairobi and cannot be relegated to a few seats.
“If you look at Nairobi’s population, Wiper will decide who gets the top seats because of the Kamba population in the city. If we are only given one MP seat, does it make sense? It becomes a bit tricky then,” he said.
He said Wiper voters and the Kamba community determine who becomes governor, senator and woman rep because they provide the swing vote.
Those given certificates to contest MP seats included incumbent Embakasi South MP Julius Mawathe, Ben Milai (Mathare), Fred Akech (Makadara), Tabitha Mutero (Kasarani), Joash Omwenga (Embakasi East), Mohamad Nur (Kamukunji) and Baba Ndege (Dagoretti North).
Mr Kivusyu also said the party will take nothing less than the running mate position in the presidential contest.
He said Wiper had made it clear Mr Musyoka must deputise Mr Odinga, arguing that he adds more value to the ticket than other leaders who are being considered for the position.
“It is Kalonzo Musyoka or nothing for the position of Deputy President. We demand he be given the ticket because he will bring to Azimio a solid bloc of more than 2.5 million votes,” he said.
