Cracks have emerged in Raila Odinga's Azimio One Kenya Coalition as affiliate parties jostle for the powerful Nairobi County Speaker's position.
Two key parties of the faction, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Jubilee Party. Jubilee have locked horns as lobbying for the position intensifies.
“We accepted ODM and Jubilee to do zoning in Nairobi and those who benefitted are from ODM. We lost 80 percent, and we don't want the deputy speaker position, we want the speaker seat,” Teddy Muturi.
Jubilee elected Members of the County Assembly want the position of the speaker to be set aside for the party arguing that the outfit lost the majority of seats in the county due to party zoning which has greatly benefited the ODM party.
What is turning out to be difficult is the scramble to control City Hall after allies from major political parties within Azimio differed on the right candidate to back.
However, the speaker position is gaining momentum with the ODM fronting its director of legal affairs, Anthony Muturi, and former County Assembly Deputy Speaker Ken Ngondi.
On the other hand, Jubilee Party is said to be fronting Harrison Wangoro while at the same time a faction of leaders are fronting former Deputy Speaker in the last regime, John Kamango.
Further, Jubilee MCAs and former aspirants want the orange party to quit the race and rally behind Jubilee Party's candidate.
"We have lost so many seats because of decisions made from boardrooms and bedrooms, now we are coming up as Nairobi Ni Sisi demanding for Nairobi speaker position,” Joseph Kagai
Additionally, even as lobbying continues, Azimio is yet to make public their choice, with Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja having met all the MCAs to strategize on a working formula.
Currently, Azimio has the Majority of members in the City Assembly with 45 MCAs. Out of this number, ODM has 35, Jubilee 6, and Wiper Party 4.
On the other hand, president-elect William Ruto’s party, United Democratic Alliance (UDA ) is fronting the outgoing speaker Benson Mutura.
UDA currently has 35 MCAs and 1 for the affiliate party, Chama Cha Kazi led by former Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria.
