Buoyed by win in Lakeview ward, fringe political parties are plotting to give Jubilee and ODM a run for their money in the March 4 by-elections in Nakuru.
The demise of London and Hell’s Gate ward representatives has thrown the political scene in a spin.
Days after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced March 4, 2021, as the date of the by-elections, rival Jubilee Party factions have been holding consultative meetings to pick the right candidates.
Analysts say the contest will be a litmus test for the ruling party, which has so far lost one seat in the recent by-election.
“The mini-poll will also be a test for the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga,” observes Gitile Naituli, a professor of management and leadership at Multimedia University
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ODM intends to field candidates in the wards in a region that largely voted for Jubilee.
The party has three aspirants who have expressed interest in the contest that is largely seen as a test-run for emerging political parties.
“In Hell’s Gate ward we have one female aspirant while in London ward we have received documents from two male aspirants. We are going for these positions full throttle,” says the party’s county chairman Peter ole Osono.
Last week, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, who was in Nakuru to popularize his People Empowerment Party (PEP) met his Nakuru Town West counterpart Samuel Arama.
Strategy
Mr Kuria is toying with the idea to fielding a candidate in the London ward by-election. The seat fell vacant after Samuel Mbugua succumbed to Covid-19 in November.
Gatundu South MP also met Francis Njoroge, a former MCA for London ward, whom he is wooing to vie on PEP ticket.
The PEP candidate Esther Mwihaki floored Jubilee’s Rosemary Njune in the just concluded Gaturi by-election.
“I want to capitalise on the win in Gaturi to strengthen PEP at the grassroots. The Nakuru mini poll will be key to this strategy,” he told Sunday Standard.
PEP ticket has attracted seven candidates who will battle it out in the nominations.
“In Hell’s Gate ward we have four candidates, one of them being a woman. In London Ward we have three candidates all of them men. We shall subject them to nominations,” says the party chairman Watson Simiyu.
But the Nakuru Town West MP, downplays PEP’s impact in the upcoming by-elections.
The Jubilee lawmaker member aligned to the Kieleweke camp is confident that he will deliver the London Ward seat, which is in his constituency.
“PEP is no threat to Jubilee here in Nakuru County. I have told Moses Kuria to rethink his strategy of fielding candidates in the by-election and join us in supporting a Jubilee candidate,” says Arama.
Arama vows that Jubilee will not make the same mistake that saw it lose the Lakeview ward seat to the little known New Democratic Party.
“All those seeking the Jubilee ticket will go through the nomination, if the negotiation to filed a compromised candidate fails,” he says.
He, however, acknowledges that few candidates are normally prepared in terms of contact with voters, financial and logistical support in by-elections.
“This is why we think it will be prudent for the party to settle on a compromise candidate because it is challenging to hit the ground in 60 days and have good results,” Arama argues.
Jubilee lost the Lakeview ward seat to Simon Wanango of the New Democratic Party after it hand-picked George Njoroge Mathu.
Wanango received support from the Tanga Tanga wing of the Jubilee Party led by Senator Susan Kihika, MPs Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati) and Naivasha’s Jayne Kihara.
They accused the Kieleweke wing of Jubilee of imposing a candidate on the people of Lakeview ward.
Last Monday and Wednesday, the Kieleweke team held a consultative meeting at Stem Hotel on the by-elections.
“The aim of the consultative meetings is to understand the people’s choice of candidate that will best carry their aspirations,” Ms Kihika says.
Ngunjiri notes that it was their responsibility to ensure the peoples’ will carries the day.
“In this regard, together with Senator Kihika we met with leaders and opinion shapers from Nakuru Town West Constituency so that we can agree on the best way to approach the London ward by elections and ensure the best candidate wins in a free and fair contest,” he says.
“We shall continue deliberating with London ward residents and also Hells Gate ward residents so that we ensure the process will be free and fair. We believe in unity and democracy and the two principle’s must prevail in the upcoming by-elections,” he adds.
Governor Kinyanjui is of the opinion that Jubilee conducts free and fair nominations.
“We are aware of the tight timelines issued by IEBC via the Kenya Gazette but as political party we plan to have free and fair primaries to avoid a fall out,” he says.
The race to succeed the Hell’s Gate ward representative John Njuguna alias Wasussy who died last month after a short illness, has also attracted many candidates.
Among those who have expressed interest in the seat include former area MCA Jonathan Warothe and the deceased’s widow Felistas Cheptum.
Others are former nominated MCA Virginia Wamaitha and an aide to the late MCA Paul Kang’ethe.
- Additional reporting by Antony Gitonga
