Lobbying for Nairobi mayor’s seat begins

Behind-the-scenes lobbying for the Nairobi mayoral seat started in earnest on Tuesday after mayor Geophrey Majiwa was charged with corruption, technically losing his position.

By the time Mr Majiwa appeared before the anti-corruption court to answer corruption charges relating to the Sh283 million cemetery scandal, names of his potential successors were being floated at City Hall.

As early as Monday night, Mr Majiwa’s succession appeared to renew the rivalry between councillors from the Party of National Unity (PNU) and those of the mayor’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

An impromptu fundraiser convened by deputy mayor George Aladwa at his office on Monday afternoon to raise funds to secure Mr Majiwa’s bond was also used to discuss the succession as it was apparent that he would be asked to step aside once charged with graft.

As the ODM councillors at the fundraiser plotted, their PNU counterparts were also consulting to come up with a strategy to clinch the seat.

Sources at the ODM fundraiser revealed that the popular opinion was that they would support Mr Aladwa with nominated councillor Mweha Kamau, a close ally of Prime Minister Raila Odinga, being fronted for the deputy mayor’s post.

Said councillor Elias Otieno, the chairman of the Planning Committee at City Hall: “Our strategy is that the deputy mayor steps into his shoes and councillor Kamau acts as deputy mayor.”

And Mr Mwangi Njehia, the ODM councillor for Woodley Ward, said: “The deputy mayor should take over until further notice; that is automatic according to the law. We should be thinking about how to meet and pick the deputy mayor.”

Assume mayor’s seat

But their counterparts in PNU maintain that the Local Government Act was not categorical that the deputy mayor shall automatically assume the mayor’s seat in the event of a vacancy.

According to councillor George Theuri (PNU, Umoja Ward), any councillor can succeed the mayor so long as he or she is popularly elected at a full council meeting.

“We should first sit down as a council and appoint a person who has the interests of the whole council at heart, not one who thrives on his party affiliation,” he told the Nation.

“The mayor’s seat is not hereditary, nor the preserve of ODM. The law does not say that the deputy mayor shall take over automatically,” he stated.

Those opposed to the deputy mayor argue that City Hall needs a mayor who will unite all the councillors, irrespective of their party affiliation, and not one who pushes his own party’s interests.

“We are meeting our lawyer to get a proper interpretation of the law, but what is clear is that Majiwa must step aside. We in PNU are not comfortable with George (Aladwa) because he is the one who ensured PNU councillors were locked out of the elections for committee chairmen,” said PNU nominated councillor Mutungi Mutunga.

“If the law says that Aladwa takes over, so be it. But I believe we have other strong councillors like Mwangi Njehia who cuts across party and ethnic affiliations. Given the manner in which City Hall is polarised, we need such a councillor, the deputy mayor leans too much towards ODM,” said Kahawa West councillor Nancy Nyaguthie (PNU).