President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga could strike a political deal to craft a handshake government in Nairobi after the removal of Mike Sonko.
There are indications Uhuru and Raila may agree to sponsor candidates to take over as governor and deputy governor. This move aims to further cement their handshake pact, as part of their plan for a handshake government.
The plan could trigger a vicious political battle with Deputy President William Ruto, whose allies are said to be scheming to front a candidate to face off with the handshake duo’s pick.
On Thursday, Ruto’s allies in the Senate voted against the impeachment of Sonko.
Twenty-seven senators voted to remove him, while 16 voted to save him. Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja and his Makueni counterpart Mutula Kilonzo Jr abstained.
The motion in the Senate came as a result of Sonko’s impeachment by the county assembly in early December. Eighty-eight MCAs voted in favour of the motion. Eighty-two votes from the 122 MCAs were needed to impeach Sonko.
ODM’s Embakasi MCA Michael Ogada and the Minority leader moved the impeachment motion in the county assembly.
The governor’s by-election is expected to be held by mid-March 2021. Some of the big names being mentioned to contest the seat include former governor aspirant Jimnah Mbaru, ex-Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru, former Governor Evans Kidero and ex-Starehe MP bishop Margaret Wanjiru.
The race is expected to be a BBI referendum test run, with Ruto, who is likely to support a candidate from another party, likely to ramp up his campaign to gauge the handshake power and resist any plan to implement a full handshake government.
Buoyed by the decisive win in Msambweni constituency in which his candidate, Feisal Bader, an independent candidate, triumphed over ODM’s Omar Boga, the DP is said to be seeking to field candidates in more upcoming by-elections, including Nairobi.
Ruto’s camp is said to have initially indicated sponsoring Sonko back as an independent candidate, but that might not work as the law bars a person removed from office from being cleared for any public office.
Bishop Wanjiru is seen as Ruto’s best bet for the race as he seeks to firm up grip on Nairobi politics ahead of the 2022 polls.
Two weeks ago, Waweru openly asked for the backing of handshake principals to take over as the new Nairobi governor.
“We have seen the clouds gathering in Nairobi. And now that I have passed the exams, nimetosha,” Waweru said.
He spoke after the collection of 6.2 million signatures in support of the BBI.
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