NAIROBI,Kenya Oct 31-Westlands MP Timothy Wanyonyi has expressed interest in seeking votes for the Nairobi Governor’s seat in next year’s elections.
The coveted seat has not attracted many candidates for the next election compared to the past elections when leaders went on a frenzy and deployed massive resources for campaigns months to the election. So far, only former Starehe MP Margret Wanjiru has declared interest to vie under Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Nairobi has had two Governors elected to office; Evans Kidero who served for a single term from 2013 and failed to re-capture it in the 2017 elections when he was defeated by Mike Sonko.
Sonko was impeached in December 2020, leaving the office without a Deputy.
Anne Kananu Mwenda whom he had nominated months before the impeachment was later sworn in as Deputy Governor and is currently acting Governor pending a case by Sonko at the Supreme Court in which he has sought to block her swearing in. Sonko’s case challenging his impeachment is still pending at the High Court.
This weekend, Wanyionyi said he is in the race to become the third Governor of Nairobi County.
“Ladies and gentlemen, while I have made huge efforts and contributions to uplifting the lives of our people in Westlands Constituency for over 15years, I now have a bigger calling- to become the Governor of Nairobi County in 2022,” Wanyonyi said.
Through his official Twitter Account, Wanyonyi said he intends to vie on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
“This is why, next week, I will be making the official declaration of my candidature for the Nairobi Gubernatorial race on our ODM Party,” Wanyonyi added.
Wanyonyi who is the brother to Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula is banking on his development track record in Westlands.
“As MP for Westlands, I have worked with my people to attain such great progress for them by being honest, transparent, selfless, and dedicated, and by God’s divine mercy. This model of leadership has worked for Westlands; it will work for Nairobi as well,” Wanyonyi said.
His declaration has been supported by Ida Odinga, the wife to ODM leader Raila Odinga.
“Tim is like my elder son, and he has a vision. We will ensure we support him so that he becomes the next Nairobi Governor in 2022 under the ODM party ticket,” Ida said.
