Artist cum politician Kevin Kioko alias Bahati has defied orders of shelving his Mathare Constituency parliamentary seat ambitions in place of a job offer from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
In Sunday’s rally in Mathare, the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya presidential flag bearer urged Bahati to quit the Mathare MP race , promising to give him a job in his government should he win the August presidential polls.
Mr Odinga publicly endorsed the incumbent area member of parliament Anthony Oluoch who is seeking to retain his seat under the ODM ticket in the August general election.
“Hapa Mathare, kama Baba nina wanangu wawili katika kinyang’anyiro. Mnataka niwashauri kama Baba? Hili ndilo ninalotaka… Nina Oluoch na Bahati, hili ndilo ninaloamua… Nitashika mkono wa Bahati. (Here in Mathare, as Baba I know I have two children in the same race. Do you want me to advice you as Baba? This is what I want…I have Oluoch and Bahati, and this is what I have decided… I will hold Bahati’s hand),” Raila said.
On his side, Bahati is keen on unseating Oluoch on a Jubilee ticket after he was finally cleared to run by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
Bahati had earlier on slammed the ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna for thwarting his political goals in Mathare, an are he was born and raised.
In a Sunday’s quick response, Bahati defied Raila Odinga’s call to pave way for Anthony Oluoch.
“Cleared by IEBC and My Party Jubilee… Blessed by GOD Na Watu wa Mathare Wameamua next MP ni Bahati Kioko,”
ODM resorted to zoning in a bid to avoid losing their votes in areas perceived to be their strongholds.
