Is Evans Ondieki the kingmaker in Nairobi politics?

Evans Ondieki. ILLUSTRATION | STANLAUS MANTHI  

By KIARIE NJOROGE

In Summary

• He was behind Moi’s return to State House and now he’s rallying behind Anne Waiguru to be governor.

As the campaigns for the 1992 General Elections reached fever pitch, a fresh law graduate was at the helm of the well-oiled brigade mandated that saw former president Daniel arap Moi remain in State House.

Two decades later, Evans Ondieki would repeat the feat, this time with Evans Kidero who became Nairobi’s first governor on the promise of running the capital with corporate efficiency. But their marriage has proven short-lived.

It could be argued that the governor never had Mr Ondieki’s heart, having snatched him from the rival camp of Ferdinand Waititu just before the 2013 elections.

Mr Ondieki now has a new ally, former Devolution secretary Anne Waiguru, whom he is fronting for governor come next year’s election.

Whether he was pushed out of City Hall for dining with the enemy or for failing to clean up the streets, the sacking of Mr Ondieki from his post of environment executive after two and a half years has become quite a stinker.

But he is not about to meekly walk away. Earlier this week, he sued Dr Kidero, piling more misery on the city chief who is already grappling with the headcahe of a Sh200 million bribe allegation.

Mr Ondieki, now a senior advocate, claims he was judged to have strayed too close to Ms Waiguru for the comfort of the Opposition-affiliated governor, earning him the sack two weeks ago.

He says Dr Kidero is living on borrowed time and the future of Nairobi is Ms Waiguru.

Mr Ondieki reckons that his decades of arguing cases for the poor without asking for fees has earned him solid grassroot following of thousands, voters that would see Ms Waiguru take office.

In his Corner House office in Nairobi where Ondieki & Ondieki legal firm is based are stacked files in hundreds — his decades of toil. The office is undergoing renovations, perhaps now that the occupant will spend more time there.

Does he consider himself a dealmaker or a kingmaker, we ask. Neither, he says.

He hastens to add that, to his advantage, grassroot support is what wins political seats.

Leaning forward with an earnest face and a voice conveying conviction, Mr Ondieki, says money cannot buy one a political seat or keep people in power.

“Leadership is not about money. Leadership is about you being honest. There is a tendency for people to think that they can buy power. I think that is mistaken,” he says.

When challenged that nearly all political seats in Kenya are almost always won with a dash of Sh50 and Sh100 crisp notes handed at the end of campaign rallies, he remains adamant that money is only useful for logistics during campaigns and perhaps for harambees.