Azimio-One Kenya Alliance is banking on zoning of Nairobi to win all the 17 National Assembly seats and the majority of the MCA positions in the city.

The coalition has shared the seats among the three parties with Jubilee and ODM getting eight each and Wiper one.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) secretary general Edwin Sifuna said the strategy was agreed on to ensure Azimio performs better in the city than rivals.

“We agreed to zone the city where both Jubilee and ODM got eight constituencies and Wiper got one,” he said.

Ruai MCA John Kamangu supported the strategy saying it will help the coalition win most of the seats.

“Our coalition has handled this issue of zoning so well. We knew we once had a common enemy which is Kenya Kwanza and if we didn’t identify a strong team, they were going to beat us,” said Kamangu.

Jubilee’s candidate for Embakasi North MP Harrison Wangoro also defended the zoning arguing it will help Azimio to go into the contest as one team. “Just like a football match, you must put your best players in if you have intentions of winning the match,” he said.

Line up

In the Azimio line-up, ODM won Mathare which is presently held by Anthony Oluoch, Embakasi East (Paul Ongili ‘Babu Owino’), Ruaraka (TJ Kajwang), Makadara (George Aladwa) and Westlands (Tim Wanyonyi).

Following Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati’s choice to run for Kisii governor, Gender CAS Beatrice Elachi was handed the ticket.

Former Kiss FM presenter Felix Odiwour, alias Jalang’o, won the Lang’ata primaries, while Peter Orero scooped the Kibra nominations, locking out the incumbent Imran Okoth.

In Jubilee, Roysambu will be contested by Ndirangu Waihenya, Kasarani (Mercy Gakuya), Kamukunji (Abdi Yussuf Hassan), Dagoretti South (Dennis Waweru), Embakasi North (Harrison Wangoro), Embakasi West (Mark Mwenje), Embakasi Central (John Ndirangu) and Starehe (Amos Mwago).

Wiper bagged the Embakasi South seat with Julius Mawathe defending it.

Kenya Kwanza candidates have dismissed the zoning.

“There is nothing Azimio can do to subvert the will of the people,” said Njoroge Muchiri, who is running as a deputy governor in the Nairobi governor contest.

Former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru, who is contesting for senate seat, also dismissed Azimio’s plan.

“How do they expect to defeat us when they are already a divided team? They should first put their house in order,” said Wanjiru.

Nairobi has 17 sub counties and 85 wards. In the 2019 population and housing census, Nairobi recorded 4,397,073 million residents.