ODM Denies Recommending Rahab Wangui for Nairobi Deputy Governor's Seat

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party says it has not written any letter to Governor Mike Sonko requesting him to consider Rahab Wangui for Nairobi Deputy Governor's post.

On Friday, Sonko, who was expected to reveal the nominee for the seat, postponed the announcement saying Opposition coalition National Super Alliance (Nasa) had written to him requesting he considers Ms. Wangui for the post, in the spirit of March 9th handshake between President Uhuru and Raila Odinga.

“This is to notify you that I was ready with the name of the nominee but I have received a request from the NASA coalition that in the spirit of the Handshake and subsequent cooperation with ruling coalition, that I should consider their proposed nominee Rahab Wangui for the position of Deputy Governor,” said Sonko.

ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna says the party is not aware of the said letter, further noting that Nasa coalition no longer exists.

“The NASA coalition agreement ended on January 30, 2018. Therefore, we have not written any letter to Sonko over the Deputy Governor’s position,” says Sifuna.

“As ODM, we do not want any seat from Sonko and, as the party Secretary-General, I want to state that we do not have any association with him,” adds Sifuna.

The seat fell vacant after the resignation of Polycarp Igathe on January 31st, 2018, citing a strained relationship with Sonko.

Sifuna has further revealed that President Uhuru's Jubilee party has agreed not to field a candidate for the Embakasi South parliamentary seat, which was left vacant after nullification of Julius Mawathe's election.

“It is because of the handshake that (President) Uhuru has agreed that, like Jubilee, they will not have any candidate in Embakasi East,” says Sifuna.