Kenya: Sakaja Picks Absa Boss Muchiri as Running Mate

Nairobi — Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has named ABSA boss James Muchiri to be his running mate in the Nairobi gubernatorial race under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.

Speaking to Capital FM News, Sakaja stated that Muchiri reflected his ideals and vision for the transformation of Nairobi.

“At least from around the 10 people I was looking at, he has the kind of attributes I would require for a good deputy because our focus is on the economy in Nairobi, so I wanted someone who can deal with trade, markets and digitization of services in the city and he completely fits the bill,” Sakaja said.

He exuded confidence that together, they will trounce their opponents in the August elections as they seek to capture the seat.

“I am offering myself to the Nairobi residents hoping I am the one that they will choose because I have been the Senator where I have been involved in legislation for a while and I now feel I am best placed to implement those legislations in Nairobi,” he said.

Muchiri had contested in the recently concluded United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party primaries for the Nyandarua governor’s seat but lost to businessman Kiarie Badilisha.

Sakaja is set to unveil him Tuesday in the afternoon as Kenya Kwanza also unveils the Nairobi team line up including the members of parliament and members of the county assemblies.

The duo will face off with Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Nairobi lineup in the August polls.

Jubilee’s Polycarp Igathe is the coalition’s gubernatorial flag bearer and will be deputized by former Kibwezi MP Philip Kaloki who is from the Kalonzo Musyoka-led Wiper Democratic Movement party.

Njoroge is a cooperate executive who prior to joining Absa as the Chief Operating Officer, served as a Computer Science Lecturer at the University of Nairobi and as an Information Technology consultant at KPMG.

He was also at Standard Chartered Kenya as a Project Manager and later served as the Director of Standard Chartered in Botswana.

Later he joined NIC Bank as its Director of Technology and Operations and Managing Director of the NIC Bank Tanzania before moving to Absa.