Jubilee Party scramble threatens new outfit

Kandara parliamentary seat aspirant Samuel Kamau alias SK flanked by another aspirant, Pius Ngugi, speaks after opening a Jubilee Party office in Kandara. Even before the dust settles on the mega launch of Jubilee Party, cracks have begun to emerge as leaders position themselves ahead of next year’s polls. (PHOTO: KAMAU MAICHUHIE/ STANDARD)

Even before the dust settles on the mega launch of Jubilee Party, cracks have begun to emerge as leaders position themselves ahead of next year’s polls.

In a glimpse of what is to come, political allies in some parts of Mt Kenya differed in public as each tried to prove their closeness to party leaders. Others have opened parallel offices, with each claiming legitimacy.

On Sunday, allies Lenny Kivuti, the Embu senator, and Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire clashed in public in a supremacy battle never witnessed before.

Their supporters nearly exchanged blows while their two leaders wrestled for control of the microphone. The supporters waved placards and chanted political slogans as the leaders traded insults on the podium.

And in Murang’a, Kandara MP Alice Wahome and a group of four aspirants seeking to unseat her in the next polls opened two parallel party offices. The two offices were opened just a few metres from each other.

In the neighbouring Kirinyaga County, Governor Joseph Ndathi hosted his Laikipia counterpart Joshua Irungu and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, who declared that the party would have nothing short of fair nominations.

Amid rumours that former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru was the preferred “Government” candidate for the governor’s seat, the leaders said residents should be left to elect leaders of their choice.

Exchanging blows

In the Embu incident, Ms Mbarire and Mr Kivuti, who are both eyeing the governor’s seat, came close to exchanging blows at a fundraiser in Karurumo. Each leader claimed to have the backing of the party leadership and of commanding majority support on the ground.

The funds drive convened in aid of local musicians was meant to help build a studio where they could record their music.
Police had a rough time separating the two leaders and calming down their supporters as tempers flared. The fundraiser was called off before the two leaders made their contributions as the meeting threatened to become chaotic.

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Anxiety built up after rumours spread that Kivuti would launch his campaigns for the governorship at the meeting. Mbarire reacted angrily to the move, saying it was disrespectful of the senator to launch his bid for the governor’s seat in her constituency when she had already announced plans to vie for the same position.

Management consultant Kithinji Kiragu, who has also declared his interest in the governor’s seat on a Jubilee Party ticket, had earlier addressed the gathering and left before the two legislators arrived flanked by rowdy youths.

Over in Murang’a, four election hopefuls seeking the Kandara seat — Samuel Kamau, Pius Ngugi, former MP Maina Kamau and Njuguna wa Ruth alias PMG — accused the area MP of sidelining them by opening the new constituency office without involving them, which had forced them to open a parallel office.

They said they had also been angered when the MP allegedly started going round the constituency claiming she was the President’s preferred candidate for the seat in the 2017 polls.

Across in Meru, a split is emerging among elected and aspiring leaders over the various political seats on JP tickets. The opening of JP offices in Kianjai, Miathene and Limo, all in Tigania West constituency, has angered local MP David Kariithi.

— Additional reporting by Phares Mutembei.