It’s now emerging that the battle to control the City County of Nairobi is not yet over as Raila Odinga’s AZIMIO warms up to take over the SPEAKER and majority leader positions.
The county has 85 elected MCAs with Raila’s Azimio coalition bagging majority 45 MCAs, of whom 35 are ODM, 6 Jubilee and 4 WIPER. DP Ruto’s UDA won 35 seats and FIVE were elected as independent candidates, three of whom are AZIMIO leaning.
On the AZIMIO side, coalition leader had promised the SPEAKER position was earmarked for ODM since the governor and deputy were from Jubilee and WIPER.
Among the front runners is the ODM director of legal affairs Antony Moturi BwÓrwochi who is credited with restoring discipline at Orange house and also guiding the party leadership on key policy matters. He is said to have backing of the party leadership and the Gusii community leadership.
Others who have declared interest is former deputy speaker Mr Ken Ngondi, who served as deputy to the speaker of NCA the late Alex Ole Magelo between 2013-17.
Moturi who is an advocate of the high court is battle hardened having served as ODM director of legal and political affairs (regarded as a hot seat, the engine of the party), he streamlined the member contributions and also steered the radical changes of various party policies and internal rules. He is a member of various party committees and task forces where he doubles as the technical lead given his successful legal career.
Jubilee party with its six members has fronted Harrison Wangoro as its candidate for the speaker’s position.
Wangoro contested the Embakasi North parliamentary seat on a Jubilee ticket but lost to a UDA candidate.
DP Ruto’s UDA is also expected to front a candidate for the position of speaker.
The battle may boil down to various interests including representation in the city. Within the AZIMIO circles the speaker position was reserved for the Kisii/Gusii community since they had lost key representation in the city when Raila tagged Hon Arati to contest Kisii Governor seat and vacate Dagoreth North for Beatrice Elachi. Currently the Luyha community has Senator Edwin Sifuna (elected), several MPs including Aladwa (Makadara), Tim Wanyanyonyi (Westlands) and Beatrice Elachi (Dagoreth North).
Luo community has several MPs including Hon Orero (Kibra), Babu Owino (Embakasi East), Felix Odiwuor aka Jalango (Langata), Anthnoy Oluoch (Mathare), TJ Kajwang (Ruaraka). The Kikuyu community has the deputy governor position and also Lion’s share of MPs including Woman Rep Esther Passaries, Embakasi’s Mwenche, Karauri of Kasarani etc while the Somali are well represented by the Kamukunji MP Hon Hassan. The Kamba nation is represented by Hon Mawathe of Embakasi.
