Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu has said he has valid educational qualifications from Punjab University in India, making him eligible to vie for Nairobi governor.

The MP accused his rivals of tainting his name by raising doubts about his academic qualifications to lock him out of the Thursday nominations.

Addressing a press conference in Parliament yesterday, the TNA aspirant said his certificates are genuine and that he will present himself for nominations against businessman Jimnah Mbaru, former town clerk John Gakuo and Nairobi business district association chair Timothy Muriuki.

"The party headquarters has cleared me alongside other aspirants. I am warning them of a fierce battle," Waititu said. Last week, TNA headquarters directed him to get his certificates authenticated, after the names registered in the certificate read differently from the one on his birth certificate and his national ID card.

Waititu went to Dagoreti High school and studied commerce in India. The MP added that he has chosen lawyer Evans Ondieki as his deputy should he clinch the TNA certificate for Nairobi governor.

ODM aspirant on a Cord ticket Philip Kisia issued a statement refuting reports that he is considering joining TNA. Kisia said he has no doubt that the Cord nominations will be free and fair.

"Though it might be true that several parties have approached me to run on their tickets, I wish to state that I and my campaign team resolved long ago that win or lose, we will fight it out in ODM and now Cord. As a team, we recognise that good leadership must be principled and grounded in sound and visionary ideology," he said. Kisia added that such ideology is not something one ups and claims to have developed.