Azimio-One Kenya Coalition Picks Polycarp Igathe for Nairobi Governor Seat

The Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition party has unveiled Polycarp Igathe as its candidate for Nairobi governor in the forthcoming elections.

This comes after Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, who was eyeing the Nairobi gubernatorial seat on an ODM ticket, stepped down from the race and will now defend his seat in the August 9th elections.

Businessman Richard Ngatia, who was seeking the Jubilee Party ticket to contest for the city’s governorship, similarly shelved his bid in favor of Igathe.

Speaking while unveiling the Nairobi lineup, the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga said Ngatia would assume an immediate role as President Kenyatta’s advisor on trade.

Odinga, who spoke following consultation talks at KICC on Friday, said Igathe will vie for the Nairobi governor’s seat on a joint ticket with former Kibwezi MP Philip Kaloki as his running mate.

“We have had a meeting here, as the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition, and today we were talking about our Nairobi team. There have been consultations that have been going on for the last few days, and I’m happy to report that we have concluded and we’re ready now to unveil Team Nairobi for Azimio la Umoja One Kenya,” he said.

“The governor candidate is going to be Mr. Polycarp Igathe, he will be deputized by Prof. Kaloki. As you know there were other members of our coalition who had expressed the desire to become governors; one of them is Timothy Wanyonyi. Wanyonyi has decided to step down from the governorship contest and go back and re-contest his seat as a member of the National Assembly for the Westlands Constituency.”

Further to this, the coalition resolved to field ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna as the Nairobi senatorial candidate while Esther Passaris will defend her Woman Representative seat under the umbrella.

Igathe, the immediate former Equity Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), officially announced his bid for Nairobi governor this week.

He said his quest for the city’s governorship is motivated by his passion to offer service delivery leadership, adding that he will use his experience in the business world to transform the capital.

“I have put my name, my spirit, my energy on the line to run for the governor of Nairobi County; 40 per cent of Kenya’s GDP deserves competence, patriotism and it deserves humility in service and that is what I have to offer,” Igathe told KTN News on Tuesday.

“I am going to be the first politician who demonstrates that politics is not about looting wholesale from public coffers to distribute retail to your few friends, but it is about service and transforming livelihoods.”

Igathe joined politics in 2017 as the running mate of former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko but he resigned as Nairobi deputy governor five months after their election, saying he failed to earn the trust of Sonko.