Student leaders from all the Nairobi metropolitan region’s schools and institutions have urged transparency and impartiality in the Jubilee Gubernatorial candidate selection process.
After it was revealed that the ruling party has a favorite in the gubernatorial ticket contest, the Youth leaders stated that it should be conducted in a free and fair manner.
“As genuine party members who will bear the weight of selling the party’s candidates at the grassroots, we legitimately expect transparency and justice in the consensus process,” stated Vincent Nyakwach, Secretary General of the University of Nairobi Students Association (UNSA).
“We categorically oppose any opaque processes used to sneak in projects that would make it difficult for party members to sell their candidacies and, in the end, shame the party at the polls,” he said.
According to the leaders, they are only aware of three contenders and that any attempt to include a fourth in the campaign is a backdoor conspiracy.
Agnes Kagure, Ann Kananu, and Richard Ngatia are three well-known candidates who have worked hard to publicize both their candidacy and the party’s ideas. “Even before the party agrees on its candidates, it is no secret that only Agnes Kagure fits the bill to fly the party’s ticket in Nairobi’s gubernatorial election,” the UNSA SG noted.
Discontent has recently erupted after it was revealed that businessman-turned-politician and corporate executive, Polycarp Igathe, has resurfaced in city politics and will be running for Nairobi Governor on a Jubilee party ticket.
Igathe had been vetted by the party ahead of the primaries, according to Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni.
“Igathe is running for Governor of Nairobi. He has paid his nomination fees and has completed all of the necessary steps to be considered for the seat,” Kioni said.
Several Nairobi Governor candidates, including incumbent Ann Kananu, entrepreneur Ann Kagure, and businessman Richard Ngatia, have been vetted, according to Kioni.