Kirinyaga Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici to vie for governor seat on independent ticket

After months of speculation, Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici has dispelled reports that she will vie for the governorship on Jubilee Party ticket.

Ms Ngirici said she would vie as an independent candidate in the August 9 elections.

“I want to make it clear that I am seeking the governor’s seat as an independent candidate. The people of Kirinyaga are my political party and I am their party,” she told residents of Gatwiri.

“The only symbol you should look for on the ballot paper is my trademark smile.

“You can vote in the president, senator, woman rep, MP and MCA of your choice, but preserve the governor’s slot for me,” she added.

The Jubilee Party is looking to break a stalemate between two governor aspirants - Senator Charles Kibiru and Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri.

Insiders in the party intimated that consensus was being sought by a team led by Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.

In the senatorial race, former Senator Daniel Karaba and businessman Anthony Karimi have failed to reach consensus.

Justus Munene, a Jubilee parliamentary aspirant from Gichugu constituency, said consensus was hard to reach.

“At the moment, promising positions in government to aspirants is tricky keeping in mind no one knows who will be the next president,” Mr Munene said.

Mr Ndambiri said he is ready for nominations -not consensus, adding that some party officials were still toying with the idea of fielding Ngirici on Jubilee ticket. Meanwhile, Jubilee Party has continued to lose aspirants who have opted to run as independent candidates due to uncertainty in the primaries.

Those who have left Jubilee Party to run as independents are Gichugu parliamentary aspirant Justus Munene, Njuki-ini MCA Frederick Bundi and Baragwi ward MCA aspirant Dennis Njuki.

Jubilee Party had resorted to opinion polls and negotiations to settle on contenders to fly its flag.

Former Gichugu MP Njogu Barua was to contest against Munene, an economist.

While confirming that he will seek the seat as an independent, Munene said he had advised the party to hand its ticket to Njogu Barua, saying they will meet at the ballot.