The Registrar of Political Parties has cleared former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu Babayao to vie for the Nairobi Governor seat in the February by-election. 

Waititu, who vied for the Kiambu gubernatorial seat on ruling Jubilee Party, was cleared on Monday to run as an independent candidate in the February 18 mini poll.

In a letter by John Macharia on behalf of Political Parties Registrar Anne Nderitu, Waititu's chosen symbol of a floodlight was also approved.

The Senate Assembly on January 29 voted overwhelmingly to uphold the impeachment of then Kiambu county boss Waititu on grounds of corruption and abuse of office.

This comes the same day exiled lawyer Miguna Miguna was also unveiled by Thirdway Alliance party to seek the same Nairobi top seat in the poll as the race continues to get crowded.

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Ironically, Waititu, who himself was impeached, is seeking to vie in Nairobi County, whose governor Mike Sonko was also impeached by city MCAs, a decision upheld by the Senate.

The next and biggest hurdle for Waititu is to get the clearance of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to vie in the coming by-election.

December 28 had been set by IEBC as the deadline for independent candidates to submit their names and symbols that they intend to use in the mini poll for approval. 

Waititu, who was once the MP for Embakasi Constituency in Nairobi, lost the Nairobi governor election to Evans Kidero in March 2013 and found his way back to active politics on May 4, 2015 after being elected Kabete following the murder of George Muchai.