ODM party must see to it that its candidate Imran Okoth wins in the Kibra mini poll, nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura has said.
Imran, brother to former MP Ken Okoth, is battling for the seat with a handful of other hopefuls, among them Jubilee Party's McDonald Mariga who is considered his main rival.
Speaking on Saturday, Mwaura noted that ODM must ensure that Imran carries the day if it is to achieve its future intentions, failure to which is will.appear to have lost its footing in Nairobi.
"Imran must win in Kibra. Otherwise, it will be a problem (Imran lazima ashinde Kibra, la sivyo itakuwa shida)," he said on Radio Jambo's Mazungumzo Waziwazi, Saturday morning.
He added that ODM must also ensure that it beats Mariga by far, or else it will have shown the nation that the opposition no longer has a voice in city politics.
He said that considering that the party has since lost the Lang'ata seat, which was at some point represented in parliament by ODM leader Raila Odinga, the party badly needs to retain Kibra.
"If Mariga finishes too close to Imran, then this will show that the opposition is losing its strongholds in Nairobi (Mariga akikaribia Imran sana itamaanisha ngome za siasa za upinzani za Nairobi zimekwisha)," he added.
Both parties have since kicked off intense campaigns ahead of the early November mini poll, with both also assuring their supporters of a win upon the completion of the by-elections.