Kenyan artist Kevin Kioko Bahati’s parliamentary aspirations have hit another snag after the Azimio la Umoja coalition settled on ODM party’s Antony Oluoch as its preferred candidate in the Mathare Constituency seat.
Bahati, who was selected by the Jubilee Party to run for the seat, would reportedly abandon his parliamentary ambitions in favor of Oluoch, who was chosen during a combined conference of ODM and Jubilee Party delegates.
Bahati will not, however, walk away from the Mathare contest empty-handed, according to ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, since he will land a lucrative position if Azimio wins the elections on August 9.
“We only have one candidate in Mathare and that is Anthony Oluoch, this young man called Bahati is my younger brother and we will talk. I will make sure that we find him another position within the Azimio government,” he said as quoted by Citizen TV.
Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rachel Shebesh also urged Bahati to follow in the footsteps of MP Tim Wanyonyi and withdraw from the race.
“We have talked with Bahati several times asking him to work with us in the larger government. Bahati you are not even at the level of Tim Wanyonyi who dropped his bid to be Nairobi governor,” she said.
This is the second time the musician turned politician is being asked to drop his bid in favour of ODM’s candidate.
Bahati had in April addressed the media while in tears after the Jubilee party revoked his nomination certificate.
“I have been asked by Jubilee to drop my Mathare MP bid. But I know I’m the best candidate for Mathare. I respect President Uhuru Kenyatta and former prime minister Raila Odinga but please, can you give the youth a chance. Let me vie for this position,” he cried.
His nomination was however reinstated days later during a press conference at Jubilee headquarters.
Also Read: Bahati Cries Foul After His Jubilee Party Nomination Certificate is Recalled
