Nzioka Waita picks Machakos Speaker as running mate

Former State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita, who is gunning for Machakos governorship on the Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU) party has unveiled Machakos County Assembly Speaker Florence Mwangangi as his running mate, ending speculation about his gubernatorial bid.

"As I moved across Machakos popularising my governorship candidature, I came across a humble leader who shares my values and principles. She will be the Machakos deputy governor," Mr Waita said amid cheers at a brief ceremony at a Machakos hotel.

Coming amid speculation that Mr Waita was considering abandoning the race, the move is expected to send the Wiper party back to the drawing board, since Ms Mwangangi had expressed interest in the governorship seat on its ticket.

A lawyer and the vice chairperson of the County Assembly Forum, Ms Mwangangi said she had willingly decided to work with Mr Waita.

Shelved governorship ambition

"Effectively, I have shelved my Machakos governorship ambition for the time being. We have talked at length and I can assure you that I will not be a flower girl in Mr Waita's government," Ms Mwangangi said at the ceremony that was attended by sitting and aspiring politicians, among them former Machakos Woman Representative Susan Musyoka.

Ms Mwangangi's move reduces the number of those seeking to succeed Governor Alfred Mutua to seven.

Mr Waita complained of propaganda from his rivals and pressure to leave the Machakos race to contest in Nairobi. He exuded confidence he would win the August 9 election and pledged to improve service delivery across the arid county.

The move comes amid a heightened push for former Transport CAS Wavinya Ndeti and Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, both eyeing the Wiper ticket for the governorship race, to agree on how to approach the August 9 elections so that Wiper gets the seat.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has been discouraging those seeking the party’s ticket from going to party primaries.

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