Marende holds talks with Raila over Nairobi top job

Former National Assembly Speaker, Kenneth Marende, is set to quit his Kenya Power Limited (KPL) board chair position to vie to the Nairobi County governor’s seat.

Marende, who intends to tender his candidature on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), held talks with opposition leader Raila Odinga at his Bondo home in Siaya County on Monday, February 6.

Marende joined politics in 2002 after successfully vying for Emuhaya Constituency seat.

He rose into prominence during the reign of the Grand Coalition Government when he was elected speaker of a much-divided parliament in 2008 after the 2007 disputed presidential election.

Marende is credited with many shrewd decisions in the National Assembly during his tenure including prevailing over his party leader Raila Odinga, who was then Prime Minister, and Kalonzo Musyoka – then Vice President, who were both competing over the position of leader of government business in parliament.

Marende’s entry into Nairobi politics will complicate things up for the opposition’s National Super Alliance (NASA), which has so far indicated intentions of supporting the incumbent Dr Evans Kidero to defend his seat.

With Marende in the picture, NASA looks headed for a competitive nomination exercise to settle on who among two, and others who might enter the race, to face Jubilee Party’s candidate for the capital city’s governors seat.