"I am being pressured to abandon my political ambitions," Says Nzioka
Nzioka Waita, the Chief of Staff of the State House and a Machakos gubernatorial candidate, alleges that he is being pressured to abandon his political ambitions.
Leah Mukangai 
Speaking to journalists in Machakos on Sunday 6, Waita claimed that he is being pushed by unnamed political power players in the Ukambani region to help long-serving leaders win the August elections.
“Watu wengi wamenipea pressure wanasema hawataki nisimame, wanasiasa wakubwa katika jamii ya Wakamba ambao wanasema ni vizuri niwapishie wabunge wengine wang’anganie hii kiti ya ugavana,” Waita stated.
He declared that the alleged compulsion has had no effect on him and that he is ready to launch initiatives in order to popularize his candidacy.
“Hii kiti tunaenda kuichukua, nataka watu wakae standby. Ninakuja kuwaona tukubaliane vile hii kaunti tutaifanya namba moja Kenya,” he added.
Waita is expected to leave his State House seat on February 8 in order to pursue his political ambitions.
"I will work till the 9th of February at 5 am. I will then make a farewell call to the president and ask for his blessings and support as well as thank him for allowing me to work for the people of Kenya in his service,” he reported to a media house in Kenya.
He also declared that he will be contesting under the Azimio La Umoja party.
Apart from Waita, other candidates in the Machakos gubernatorial contest include Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, Transport CAS Wavinya Ndeti, former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama, Machakos County Assembly Speaker Florence Mwangangi, and Deputy Governor Francis Maliti among others.
