Former student leader joins Nairobi gubernatorial race
Former University of Nairobi student leader Fwamba NC Fwamba is the latest entrant in the growing list of politicians and technocrats racing to succeed Nairobi City County Governor Anne Kananu.
“I am the right person to lead Nairobi having participated in city politics since my university days. I and my growing army of youthful people, are the present and future of this country,” he declared.
Mr Fwamba had previously announced he will vie for the seat on the recently-formed Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) associated with Defense CS Eugene Wamalwa.
But he now says he will use President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party as his political vehicle.
“I have chosen the Jubilee Party which is in a partnership with Raila Odinga’s ODM party, both which are affiliated to Azimio La Umoja,” Mr Fwamba said.
He adds: “On top of the hopes of the city hinging on Azimio La Umoja, Nairobi is a cosmopolitan city which needs a youthful governor to help revamp it. I believe that I can change the fortunes of the city.”
Fwamba said that Nairobi needed an ordinary leader who will deal with cartels that have held the city hostage for a long time.
“Nairobi needs a candidate who is merely the face of an ordinary Nairobian resident. Having worked as an Advisor in the Devolution Ministry, I now properly understand the benefits of devolution,” he said.
In the Devolution Ministry, he handled the Kenya Devolution Support Programme through which the Ministry interacted with all the 47 counties.
Having worked in both public and private sectors, Hon Fwamba brings to the table a “Tsunami” of experience.
During his stay in office as a student leader, one of his key achievements was joining other leaders to push for the increased allocation of HELB (Higher Education Loans Board).
In the 2007 general elections, he was among the most visible youth leaders in the Kibaki campaigns.
Later on while working in civil society, he successfully agitated for human rights that were later entrenched in the 2010 constitution predominantly in the Bill of Rights Chapter.
As a vibrant youth leader, he was part of the team that steered the “Yes” campaigns for the 2010 Constitution that was promulgated by former President Mwai Kibaki.
A human rights defender, Mr Fwamba was arrested on February 18, 2009 alongside members of PEN American Center, an international organization of writers dedicated to protecting freedom of expression wherever it is threatened, while taking part in a peaceful protest against hyperinflation and the rising price of maize in Kenya.
He was later on charged with “taking part in an unlawful assembly” and released on bail.
Not new in city politics, in 2013 he was the running mate to the late Mutinda Khavemba who was in the race for the Nairobi gubernatorial running on a Wiper ticket.
In the subsequent 2017 general elections, he was one of the key strategists of the Jubilee Party in the 2017 General Elections under the Mbele Iko Sawa lobby where they traversed the entire country campaigning for President Kenyatta.
Before that, in 2004, he was among the nine aspirants cleared to participate in the Mathare constituency by-election after the election of George Wanjohi of TNA was nullified by the Court of Appeal.
The BA graduate from the University of Nairobi, is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Nairobi.
Mr Fwamba now joins the Nairobi gubernatorial race which has attracted the likes of businesswoman Agnes Kagure, incumbent governor Ann Kananu, Senator Johnston Sakaja, Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, Makadara MP George Aladwa, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Richard Ngatia and former Starehe MP Bishop Margaret Wanjiru.