Makadara MP George Aladwa has expressed confidence in retaining the Nairobi ODM chairmanship against his opponent, Westlands MP Timothy Wanyonyi, in polls slated for April.
Aladwa stated that his delegates' success in securing most of the grassroots seats during elections held on Wednesday gives him confidence in clinching the seat.
"We have concluded our grassroots elections in Nairobi. I am happy with the results; they speak louder. Team Aladwa is leading, and come next year, we are more than ready," Aladwa remarked confidently on Thursday.
The party's grassroots elections in Nairobi were largely peaceful, with delegates praising the process.
In Dandora, the elections were conducted through consensus, a method ODM frequently employs to streamline decision-making.
"We have held our elections peacefully. We are also observing how other wards are conducting their grassroots primaries, and we are happy it is peaceful," said a delegate in Dandora.
Peaceful polls
Mama Shiro, a candidate for a leadership position in Lang'ata, commended the peaceful nature of the elections.
"We wanted peaceful elections, and that is exactly what we had in Nairobi. In some places, consensus was reached," she noted.
Meanwhile, Team Tim Wanyonyi reported victories in several polling stations in Westlands, intensifying the competition between the two seasoned leaders.
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Both Aladwa and Wanyonyi are veteran politicians with extensive grassroots experience.
They previously served as councilors in the now-defunct Nairobi City Council before transitioning to Parliament.
Aladwa is currently in his second term as Makadara MP, while Wanyonyi is serving his third term as Westlands MP.
Over the past decade, Aladwa has led ODM in Nairobi as its chairman, a period during which the party has solidified its dominance in the city.
With a substantial number of elected MPs and MCAs, the party remains a key player in Nairobi politics.
Aladwa's tenure as Nairobi mayor from 2011 to 2013 also bolstered his political profile.
As the primaries draw closer, the race for the ODM chairmanship in Nairobi is shaping up to be a fierce contest between two political heavyweights, each vying for the opportunity to steer the party in Kenya's capital.
