After much hullabaloo following his defiant move to nominate rebel NRM general- lawyer Miguna Miguna as his deputy in order to repel cartels, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has finally shortlisted other names to replace Polycarp Igathe who resigned from the position in January.
Mr Sonko on Wednesday said he had whittled down his long list of 10 to four names and he is only waiting to consult with Jubilee Party leadership on who to pick.
Those in the running are former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru, corporate guru Agnes Kagure, lawyers Karen Nyamu and Jane Weru.
“I prefer a woman for the position,” he said in an interview with Milele FM.
“I have four names in mind but I am waiting for consultations with top Jubilee party leadership who are my bosses to see who to choose.”
The Nairobi County boss said that the nomination of controversial lawyer Miguna Miguna was only done to respect the Supreme Court advisory.
In its ruling, the top court in the land in March held that governors are free to pick fresh nominees within 14 days to replace their deputies who resign, are impeached or die in office.
The Miguna pick, he added, was also to spite individuals who put pressure on him and wanted to blackmail him over who to settle on for the position.
“I want to apologise. I appointed him (Miguna) out of anger, bitterness, and also there was a lot of pressure, intimidation and blackmail and so I gave them Miguna,” he said.
Ms Kagure has been the front-runner for the position and was at one time touted as the next DG before lawyer Miguna was nominated for the position.
A gender activist and insurance executive, Ms Kagure has been voted Agent of the Year for seven years by the Association of Kenya Insurers.
And in 2011, she was featured among the Top 40 Women under 40 by the Business Daily.
Ms Nyamu contested for the Jubilee Party’s woman representative ticket in last year’s General Election but eventually lost to Rachel Shebesh who was defeated by Nasa’s Esther Passaris.
Little is known about the new entrant in the race, Ms Weru, who is a lawyer with a master’s in NGO management from the London School of Economics.
She is currently an executive director of Akiba Mashinani Trust, an NGO.
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