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ODM to unveil its pick for Nairobi deputy governor position on Wednesday

By Collins Omulo January 19th, 2021 2 min read

ODM is set to unveil its pick for Nairobi deputy governor position on Wednesday, even as the assumption of office of governor committee has pushed back preparations to swear in deputy governor Anne Kananu Mwenda as Nairobi Governor.

The committee, chaired by acting County Secretary Jairus Musumba, was set to meet on Tuesday but the meeting was called off.

This followed orders issued by the High Court on Monday temporarily suspending any planned swearing in of Ms Mwenda as governor.

ODM Director of Elections Mr Junet Mohammed said the party’s central committee will sit on Wednesday to settle on a nominee to present for the deputy governor position for Nairobi County.

Members of the committee already received their invitation to the meeting by the party’s Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen.

“Dear member, notice is here given of a meeting of the Central Committee to be held on Wednesday January 20, 2021 at 9.00 a.m. Venue will be communicated later,” read the communication.

Mr Mohammed said the party has four individuals who have expressed their interest in the position and it is now upon the committee to settle on one name.

Although guarded on the names of the four individuals, reports have been rife that the position could go to party’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna with former Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro with an outside chance.

“The committee is going to sit today (Wednesday) morning and then present the name of our nominee for the position,” said the Suna East MP.

“We had internally circulated call for interest in the position and we have had many applications. We have four candidates who have shown interest in the position but we don’t want to divulge their names now until the committee makes its decision,” he added.

ODM had warned Jubilee Party it will settle for nothing less than the deputy governor’s position and is ready to bolt out of a handshake deal with the ruling party should they not be assured of the position.

Regarding the preparations for swearing in, Mr Musumba said they called off a planned meeting of the assumption committee on Monday that was to settle on the swearing in date before gazetting the same as a result of the orders by the High Court.