Westlands Member of Parliament, Hon. Tim Wanyonyi has pleaded with his constituents to allow him to leave his current seat.
In a passionate appeal to his supporters on February 23, the ODM legislator prevailed upon the city residents to allow him go for another bigger seat in the coming 2027 elections.
“Nataka kuwashukuru sana nyinyi watu wa hapa Westlands. Mmenipatia muda mimi nimewhaudumia kama mjumbe wenu na mimi nataka kuomba wakati ujao niendee kiti cha Gavana wa Nairobi. (I want to appreciate you so much Westlands residents for allowing me to serve you as MP and I want to request that next time, I want to go for Governor’s seat?” he said.
“Watu wa Westlands, kuna wengine mnanipenda sana hamtaki niende. Kama mnanipenda, mnisaidie niende na hata mnitafutie kura huko nje. (There are some Westlands people who love me so much that they do not want me to leave. But if you love me so much, please allow and help me go vie for the gubernatorial seat and even help campaign for me),” he pleaded with his staunch supporters.
Mr Wanyonyi’s appeal comes as a section of his supporters from the constituency say they want him to continue serving as MP as they fear his replacement may not fit his shoes.
He was speaking in Nairobi when he was officially handing over cheques and sponsorships to students under his Masomo Bora Scholarship where students from High School to University benefited.
In the last elections, Mr Wanyonyi was staring at eminent victory for the seat of Nairobi Governor until the Azimio coalition killed his bid after prevailing on him to step aside in favour of Jubilee Party’s Polycarp Igathe, who was walloped by UDA’s Johnson Sakaja at the ballot.
This arrangement, has in the past forced ODM leader Raila Odinga to publicly declare that he regrets having been the one who talked Mr Wanyonyi into stepping aside for Igathe.
Mr Wanyonyi has a fanatical following in Westlands and this has easily wafted across the City, with his development record playing a critical role in his fast rising following.
The ODM legislator has in the past years, created a strong network across the City, amassing a large following that shook competitors who, in the last election, came short of supporting his bid until the Azimio arrangement derailed his bid.
For a long time, the MP has been sponsoring students who come from humble backgrounds through their studies and some have excelled.
Besides the CDF sponsorship that he has over the years distributed without any hitches, the MP and his family has a scholarship programme that he uses to support bright but needy and deserving students continue with their studies.
His rallying call for beneficiaries is for them to ensure they perform well, be disciplined and be ambassadors of benefits of education.
At the same time, he urged parents to be firm with their children and discipline them accordingly without raising them with so much tenderness.
He urged that parents teach their children properly and not give room for them to be ‘taught by the world’ saying that would be a painful and regrettable path.
“Don’t be overprotective of your children. When you are called to school by teachers, don’t start protecting the child, listen to the teachers, they know a lot that your children hide from you,” he said.
