He was at one point seen as Jubilee’s man to vie for Nairobi County governor post come August elections.
He, however, quietly pulled out of the race.
Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has for the first time revealed by he abandoned Nairobi City politics.
Wamalwa says he dropped out of the race because some people from the Mt Kenya region refused to support him, branding him an “outsider” – in an interview with the Standard.
The CS says he was betrayed by some politicians, who initially supported his entry to the gubernatorial race.
“My entry into city politics was received with a lot of support. Several leaders in the county supported my candidature. But down the road, I realised there was a group plotting against me because they were not comfortable with the big support I was getting,” he said during the interview.
Wamalwa revealed that a “powerful group”, including influential business people and city leaders, said Nairobi was too important to be given to an outsider.
“The likes of Waititu and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria introduced Wamalwa to Nairobi politics through the back door. They did not bother to prepare the ground for him and that became his undoing. He should have built consensus with local leaders in the city,” said Starehe MP Maina Kamanda, an ardent supporter of President Uhuru Kenyatta, as quoted by the Standard.
Several politicians from across the political divide had declared their support for Wamalwa.
They included: Ferdinand Waititu (Kabete MP), Margaret Wanjiru, Kanini Kega (Kieni), Jude Njomo (Kiambu Town), Mpuri Aburi (Tigania).
“As the ruling party, we cannot have the capital city being governed by the Opposition. Wamalwa’s candidature would neutralise Cord’s dominance by drawing the Luhya bloc to Jubilee,” Kega said.
Leaders from Western Kenya, including Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka and Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba also lauded the CS for his bold move to enter City politics.
Five months later, the Water CS quietly exited the stage, as city politics got hotter.
Reports indicate he will seek Trans Nzoia governorship, following backing from a section of key leaders from the region.
"Listen to the voices from your people. They want you to represent them in Trans-Nzoia and not Nairobi," Governor Lusaka told Wamalwa during the burial ceremony of Regina Nasike in Muungano village Trans-Nzoia County, one week ago.
Several politicians have since declared interest in the Nairobi governor seat.
They are: Peter Kenneth, Johnson Sakaja, Mike Sonko and Margaret Wanjiru – all from Jubilee Party.
Lawyer Miguna Miguna, an independent candidate, will also be seeking to unseat the incumbent Governor, ODM’s Evans Kidero, come August 8.