Waititu courts aspirants to step down for him

Former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu campaigning in Wangige town before bagging the JAP nominations for Kabete seat. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

The race to succeed the late Kabete MP George Muchai could be left for former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu if the power play in the area is anything to go by.

The Standard has learnt members affiliated to Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) are trying to persuade other contestants to step down for Mr Waititu. The machination is to ensure Waititu becomes the first JAP MP after the newly formed outfit had a false start in the recently concluded Kajiado Central by-elections.

Waititu, a former Water assistant Minister, is said to be pressing two other aspirants to step down in his favour so that he can be declared unopposed just like Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria did.

In the Gatundu South by-election, Kiarie Kamere pulled out of the race at the last minute, leaving Kuria to be elected unopposed.

Waititu faces two other aspirants John Wamagata (Safina) and Kiriro Wa Ngugi (Democratic Party), who he is trying to woe to his side.

Waititu told The Standard that going by the results of the nomination, he feels conducting a by-election will be a waste of time and resources.

Last Thursday, Deputy President William Ruto reportedly met 12 aspirants who lost to Waititu in the JAP primaries, and asked them to support Waititu.

 NUMEROUS CALLS

JAP lost the Kajiado Central constituency seat to ODM's Elijah Memusi, who had defected to the opposition after disputing the declaration of Patrick Tutui as the winner of JAP nominations.

"All the other contestants agreed to support my bid to become the Kabete MP. The nominations were done freely and they all agreed that they will not join any other political outfit," said Waititu.

"I have met the two aspirants separately to step down and support my candidacy so as not to have a by-election. Tunataka tumalize hii maneno mapema nianze kazi. (We want to finish with this thing early so that I start work)," said Waititu.

The two aspirants confirmed they are being coerced to step down for the JAP candidate.

In the event the two agree to step down, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will declare Waititu the MP-elect for Kabete Parliamentary seat without subjecting the voters to a by-election.

Ngugi and Wamagata yesterday confirmed that Waititu had asked to meet them personally and even sent emissaries to convince then to pull out of the race.

"I have received numerous calls from Waititu but I told him that we shall talk as we wait for the votes to be counted in May 4," said Wamagata.

He vowed to be in the race to the final end so as not to disappoint his supporters.

Kiriro, who also seeks to replace Muchai said Waititu has in the recent past called him several times to an extent that he had become a nuisance. "I ended up blocking his number," Kiriro says..

He promised that his name will be on the ballot during the by-election.