Azimio la Umoja Nairobi senatorial candidate Edwin Sifuna and singer Kelvin Bahati engaged in a Twitter spat over the latter’s candidacy for the Mathare parliamentary seat.
On Monday, June 27, the ODM Secretary General announced that the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition had selected ODM’s Anthony Oluoch as its preferred candidate, effectively removing Bahati from the race.
However, in a rejoinder on his social media pages, the singer, who was set to compete for the seat on a Jubilee ticket, slammed Sifuna claiming that he had been paid off by Oluoch to sabotage his bid.
Despite the coalition’s decision, Bahati insisted he was still in the race, urging Sifuna to focus on his senatorial campaign.
“You have already been given three million by my losing opponent to lie that I have stepped down and “you” will offer me a job in the Azimio government. You want to give me a job as who? Stay away from Mathare politics and focus on your bid or you will lose again like in 2017,” Bahati said.
The lawyer, on the other hand, took to Twitter and stated that he will personally accept an apology from Bahati’s wife Diana.
“Thank you so much Jubilee Party for resolving the Mathare question for us. We now have a candidate. Hio kijana ya kulia lia nitachukua apology yake kwa Diana personally,” said Sifuna.
In his response, Bahati chastised Sifuna for involving his wife in their political differences, urging him to respect women.
“…Keep your mouth away from mentioning my wife in your cheap politics!!! Have some respect for women,” answered Bahati.
This comes after the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council adopted a rationalization plan on Friday that requires constituent parties to align candidates in order to combat increased sibling rivalry.
Therefore, Bahati was expected to step aside for Aluoch in exchange for a job in the Azimio administration.
However, the musician dismissed claims that he had stepped down as false.
Bahati claimed that some Azimio La Umoja members have been causing confusion among his supporters by alleging that he had withdrawn his bid.
