Interesting details have emerged over the nomination of Jubilee’s nominee for Nairobi governorship Mike Sonko, The Star reports.
It is alleged that after hitting a deadlock trying to negotiate with State House to step down for his nemesis Peter Kenneth, Sonko threatened to release a dossier-video and audio tapes which shows some important State House operatives engaging in compromising activities.
A source well versed with the contents of the tapes and a Jubilee Party MP whose identity was not revealed said that had Sonko released the tapes to public domain, Jubilee’s campaign would have been in ruin.
“The tapes are damaging, and should Sonko release them, the Jubilee campaign would be shattered.”
But in response, Sonko has denied having any such tapes and termed it as cheap propaganda.
“That I have tapes is cheap propaganda. I have never recorded anyone and neither have I blackmailed anyone to support me,” said Sonko.
The publication further purports that the initial arrangement was to have Kenneth run for Governor while Sonko deputized him but this never came to pass.
Pressure piled on Sonko to step down for Kenneth did not make him cave in.
And when push came to shove, he threatened to release the tapes if he is blocked from vying for city’s governorship on a Jubilee ticket.
He emerged victorious garnering 138, 185 votes against Kenneth’s 62, 504 votes.
And as a result, Muranga’s Maina Wanjigi Senior-father to billionaire businessman Jimmy Wanjigi who is the resource mobilizer for NASA campaigns-urged Kenneth to vie as an independent since he was not contented with Jubilee’s choice of Sonko, and his newly unveiled running mate Polycarp Igathe.
The Murang’a business community who have invested heavily in Nairobi feel threatened by Sonko’s bid which translates to a warm relationship with DP William Ruto who is gearing up for 2022 Presidential race.
And to thwart this, Kenneth has been placed on board to create an imbalance in the matrix that also has Equity Bank Founder Peter Munga, another tycoon from Murang’a County.
“The elders don’t trust Sonko and they also do not think much of Peter Munga of Equity, who is positioning himself as Ruto’s powerbroker in the region. To defeat the Ruto-Sonko axis, the Murang’a group has decided to support Kenneth plus a host of non-Jubilee candidates running for Parliament and County Assembly seats.”