Political scientist and historian Prof Nyachieo Bogonko believes only Senator Mike Sonko can give Nairobi County Governor Evans Kidero a run for his money in the 2017 gubernatorial race.
The seat has attracted a host of candidates mainly from the Jubilee wing among them Sonko, MP Dennis Waweru (Dagoretti), Margaret Wanjiru, Water CS Eugene Wamalwa and MP Johnson Sakaja (nominated) and the two political wings; ODM and Jubilee have been wrestling to control the metropolitan city.
And on Monday during a breakfast meeting in Nyamira town, the Kisii University don likened the Nairobi gubernatorial contest to the presidential elections in 2017 and insisted that Jubilee would lose without Sonko as their flag bearer.
“The city politics are fundamental in determining which coalition wins the presidency in 2017 and as it stands, Jubilee might have a difficult task in dislodging the incumbent who seems to be having a minimal challenge from the opposition,” he said.
“Sonko has established himself in the last eight years in active politics and commands a huge following in Nairobi. He is the only Jubilee candidate who has chances of beating Kidero and that could be a good candidate for Jubilee,” he said.
He also said the high number of candidates from the Jubilee wing could jeopardise the organisation of the government in toppling the Cord from power in Nairobi city.
“Jubilee has the highest number of aspirants in the gubernatorial race and that is by itself an impediment. However, if Sonko is backed, he will give Cord hard time in retaining the seat,” he said.