By: Joseph Mwangi

Nairobi MPs allied to PNU have joined their counterparts from Central and Coast provinces in a fresh bid to reject the proposed creation of 80 new constituencies saying the boundaries in Nairobi were done to create “safe” constituencies for ODM and its presidential candidate Raila Odinga.

In Nairobi, the MPs claim only constituencies perceived to be ODM strongholds were split while those within PNU strongholds were not touched. They now demand that the Andrew Ligale Commission report be trashed and a fresh exercise taken by the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission.

Dagoretti MP Beth Mugo claims that the commission must adhere to the formula recommended by the new Constitution on equal representation considering population sizes and a variance of geographical size.

The MPs argue that Dagoretti which is a PNU stronghold was only split into two constituencies namely Dagoretti and Karen / Langata.

His Makadara counterpart Mike Mbuvi Sonko had echoed her sentiments saying Ligale was sympathetic to Prime Minister Raila Odinga and ensured that PNU was shortchanged in Nairobi. Sonko claims Makadara was not split because Raila and ODM have given up in ever winning the seat and hence saw no need of splitting it.

When the matter of splitting Makadara was brought, some ODM strategists were overheard saying that if it is split, it will give PNU an additional seat and that Makadara should not be split.

In two consecutive elections, PNU had given ODM a devastating defeat first in 2007 through Dick Wathika and Sonko in a by-election. ODM’s candidate Reuben Ndolo is said to have given up on the seat and is likely to relocate to a newly created constituency in Lang’ata.

Sonko further argues that ODM and Raila have also given up on Kamukunji after a shocking defeat in a recent by-election. Again they argued splitting Kamukunji will be to PNU’s advantage.

To show that the new constituencies favored ODM, Raila’s own Lang’ata constituency split to create Kibera and Nairobi west constituencies. Westlands constituency under ODM is also split into two (Westlands and Parklands constituencies). Another ODM stronghold Kasarani constituency has also been split to create Roysambu, Kasarani, Ruaraka, Kariobangi constituencies.

PNU’s Ferdinand Waititu also cries foul as his Embakasi constituency which has the highest number of registered voters in Nairobi county was only split into Kayole, Embakasi and Mihango constituencies. Waititu claims Embakasi could have been split into five constituencies and Kasarani into just two constituencies.

Bishop Margaret Wanjiru’s Starehe constituency has also been split into Starehe and Mathare constituencies just to give ODM an additional seat.