Bahati Out of Mathare Parliamentary Race As Azimio Settles For MP Oluoch

The musician and Jubilee candidate for the Mathare Parliamentary seat Kelvin Kioko, also known as Bahati, now seems to have run out of options after the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition decided to support Anthony Oluoch in Mathare.

Speaking during a joint Jubilee and ODM delegates meeting on Monday, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said that its candidate Oluoch is best fit to compete for the seat and that Bahati, who was running on a Jubilee ticket, will step aside.

Following Bahati’s withdrawal from the race, according to Sifuna, the winner of the August elections will be given a position in the Azimio-One Kenya government.

“Our colleagues from Jubilee will be presenting their candidates from eight constituencies and those from ODM will present some from eight constituencies,” said Sifuna.

Read: Jubilee Finally Nominates Singer Bahati for Mathare MP

“Zoning was done perfectly even here in Mathare we have agreed that its an ODM zone. We only have one candidate in Mathare and that is Anthony Oluoch, this young man called Bahati is my younger brother and we will talk. I will make sure that we find him another position within the Azimio government.”

Also present was Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Rachel Shebesh who asked that Bahati put his dreams on hold.

Shebesh claimed that even Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi put his political aspirations on hold in order to support Polycarp Igathe, who is currently Azimio’s choice for the position of Nairobi governor.

“We have talked with Bahati several times asking him to work with us in the lager government. Bahati you are not even at  the level  of Tim Wanyonyi who dropped his bid to be Nairobi governor,” Shebesh said.

Read Also: Bahati in Tears After Jubilee Asked Him to Step Aside in Favour of Mathare ODM Candidate (Video)

On Friday last week, the Azimio Coalition Council established a rationalization plan requiring member parties to harmonize their candidates in a bid to combat growing sibling rivalries.

The decision was reached after party leader Raila Odinga called a meeting to discuss the Coalition’s preparations for the General Election scheduled for August 9 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

“After reviewing various reports regarding the party’s ongoing campaign preparations for the general election and other matters related to the election, the Council; discussed and approved a strategy to synergize the strength brought by each party to the coalition by rationalizing and harmonizing candidates in all elective positions and mandated each constituent party to implement the strategy,” said Junet Mohamed, Azimio Party’s Secretary-General.

Last week, Azimio presidential running mate Martha Karua told a gathering in Kirinyaga that they will meet with aspirants and later agree to support the most popular candidates.

Read Also: Jubilee Unveils Singer Bahati as Mathare MP Candidate

“Time will come when we will seek consensus on the way forward. We want to form a formidable coalition line-up that will take our opponents head on,” Karua said.

She added: “The exercise will be fair and we will bring on board all aspirants from the affiliate parties and agree who will vie on Azimio ticket. This will be done before June 30.”

John Mbadi, chairman of ODM and a member of the Azimio National Secretariat, claimed that the coalition had mapped the nation and determined which regions needed to field one candidate.

“What the coalition leadership wants is to avoid splitting votes, which could end up favouring opponents,’’ he said.

Read Also: Azimio Wants DP Ruto Barred From Politicking at Karen Residence

Seats being targeted are those of governor, Woman Rep, Senate and National Assembly.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will gazette the names of candidates for various seats on June 30.