William Kabogo rides on Wamalwa row to fight Waititu’s bid

Kabete Member of Parliament Ferdinand Waititu’s decision to endorse Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa for the Nairobi governorship appears to have given Kiambu Governor William Kabogo a fresh political weapon against the lawmaker.

Mr Waititu has thrown his hat in the ring for the Kiambu gubernatorial seat and recent opinion polls put him ahead of Mr Kabogo.

At a church service in Kiambu a fortnight ago, Mr Waititu and Kieni MP Kanini Kega said Mr Wamalwa was the best candidate for the Nairobi seat, angering Nairobi Jubilee leaders.

And now, Mr Kabogo is teaming up with city leaders to step up his prolonged war against Mr Waititu.

On Sunday, Mr Kabogo hosted gubernatorial aspirant and Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko in a rare meeting dubbed the “Ruiru Declaration” in Ruiru, near Thika.

The gathering brought together parliamentarians and members of the Kiambu County Assembly allied to Mr Kabogo.

Mr Sonko accused Mr Waititu of being a “political refugee” in Kiambu and vowed to ensure that Mr Kabogo is re-elected.

Mr Waititu vied for Nairobi governor in 2013 but controversially lost to Evans Kidero.

“I am here (in Kiambu) to stand in solidarity with my brother and friend, Honourable William Kabogo. Please (Kiambu residents), do not allow refugees who were kicked out of Nairobi to come and bring their madness in Kiambu,” Mr Sonko said.

Juja MP Francis Munyua and his Ruiru counterpart Esther Gathogo, who are among the three of 13 MPs from the county allied to the governor, attended the rally and vowed to ensure Mr Kabogo is re-elected.

“If we do not follow Mr Kabogo, we are going to lose direction,” said Mr Munyua.

Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru, who is also eyeing the Nairobi governor's seat, was scheduled to attend the Ruiru meeting to drum up support for Mr Kabogo but did not show up.

Mr Waweru had turned the heat on Mr Waititu, whom he accused of being paid to endorse Mr Wamalwa. He warned Mr Waititu that if he does not keep off Nairobi politics he would mobilise city residents and move to Kiambu to fight his candidature.

“If he continues joking with us, we will expose him,” Mr Waweru said at an earlier meeting. We will tell the people of Kiambu what kind of a person he is.

“They do not know him.”