The battle for Nairobi’s political supremacy between the ruling Jubilee Coalition and the opposition, Cord went a notch higher, after Deputy President William Ruto and Cord leader Raila Odinga clashed over the gubernatorial seat.
Raila, who met other ODM leaders to map out a strategy to retain the capital’s top seat took a swipe at the Deputy President, who has been leading an onslaught to wrestle the seat from ODM.
“I have heard Ruto say that they will do anything to capture the governor’s seat. I want to tell him that he has never been an elected leader in Nairobi and cannot purport to control Nairobi politics,” said Odinga.
He added: “Yeye ni jogoo wa shamba ambaye hawiki mjini (he is a village cockerel that cannot crow in the city).”
His remarks were a response to Ruto who had said they are determined to win the county’s top seat, which is held by ODM’s Evans Kidero.
However, there seem to be disunity in the ruling party, with various leaders showing their interests in the seat, which might play to the advantage of ODM.
The leaders made a promise last week to fairly pick a candidate among the contestants, but seem to be on collision paths as they all fight for the chance to face Dr. Kidero at the polls.
Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko, former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru, Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru and TNA nominated MP Johnson Sakaja have all shown interest in the seat, with Peter Kenneth being the latest entrant into the race.
Kenneth’s entrance seems to have divided the sharply divided the party, with most of the contestants against the former presidential hopeful.
Whoever the ruling party picks to face Kidero during the August polls, the battle for the capital’s top seat promises to be a bruising one.