A number of Jubilee MPs on Sunday endorsed Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa to contest for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in the 2017 general elections.
Led by Kieni MP Kanini Kega, the legislators said they would work to ensure the CS took the seat which they had previously lost to opposition.
"We cannot let the governor's seat go to the opposition again. We lost once but now we are well organised and we know who we want for Nairobi governor and it is Eugene Wamalwa," he said.
Other legislators present at the St Peter and Paul Catholic Church Kiambu and who echoed the same sentiments were Ferdinard Waititu of Kabete, Jude Njomo of Kiambu and Mpuru Aburi of Tigania East constituencies.
Waititu said that if Wamalwa got the chance to replicate his policies in Nairobi, the people of neighbouring Kiambu would also benefit from the good governance due to the proximity of the two counties.
"We have heard that Wamalwa wants the Nairobi seat and we will make sure that the many residents of Kiambu who vote in Nairobi cast their votes for him," he said.
"Wamalwa is a friend of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. We know that if he takes the mantle in Nairobi, we are going to feel the benefits in Kiambu," Waititu continued.
Kiambu MP Jude Njomo said that Wamalwa had served the Jubilee party selflessly and it was about time the party rewarded the sacrifice by standing with him.
"We know that Eugene risked losing his seat because he stood with President Kenyatta during the launch of the TNA party and it is now our time to stand with him," Njomo said.
The endorsement might be viewed as a smart Jubilee tactic to get numbers and counter Francis Atwoli’s expected candidacy for the same seat under the Cord umbrella.
It also poses a threat to Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru and bishop Margaret Wanjiru’s aspirations for the same seat.