Waita Picks Speaker Mwangangi as His Deputy Amid Calls To Step Down
Former State House chief of staff Nzioka Waita has picked Machakos County Assembly speaker Florence Mwangangi as his running mate in the August 9 Machakos gubernatorial race.
Gathogo Wanjiru 
Waita and Mwangangi this morning held a meeting at a Machakos hotel ahead of the announcement scheduled to take place at Gelian Hotel in Machakos town.
They are expected to sign an agreement pact as Mwangangi withdraws from the Machakos gubernatorial race.
On Wednesday, he had hinted at dropping his political ambitions after holding talks with some leaders.
"There comes a time when a man must consult widely, reflect consciously, sacrifice opportunities and make decisions that can enhance that can enhance his political destiny," Waita said.
Waita resigned as President Uhuru Kenyatta's Chief of Staff on February 9 to venture into politics.
He later announced that he would vie for the Machakos governor seat on Chama Cha Uzalendo party ticket, an affiliate of the Azimio la Umoja Movement.
There are about five candidates seeking to replace Governor Alfred Mutua. They are Waita, Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, ex-CAS Wavinya Ndeti, Deputy Governor Francis Maliti, and former Senator Johnson Muthama.
On Monday, Waita chaired his first National Executive Council meeting as Party Leader of the Chama Cha Uzalendo.
During the meeting, Nzioka said that they agreed to support the Azimio la Umoja Movement coalition's presidential candidate Raila Odinga in the August 2022 general elections.
