Aspirants protest Jubilee's decision to conduct nominations by way of interviews

Jubilee Secretary-General Jubilee Party Raphael Tuju, October 2, 2020. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The Jubilee Party is in a catch-22 on whether to proceed with preparations for Saturday’s interviews in the forthcoming Kiambaa by-election.

This follows the withdrawal from the nomination by two candidates, Erick Mutura and Charles Munyui, who claimed the party has a preferred candidate and that the interview process is a public relations exercise.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Paul Koinange. The MP died of Covid-19 complications at the Nairobi Hospital on March 31, 2021.

Five other candidates have since expressed interest to vie on a Jubilee ticket including Paul Koinange’s widow June, daughter- Lenah, niece - Damaris Wambui, Josephat Kamanya and Kari Njama.

In a letter to Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, Mutura and Munyui protested against the nominations slated for Saturday and threatened to ‘teach Jubilee a lesson' come July 15.

The two cautioned the party’s top brass against micro-managing the affairs of the people of Kiambaa.

“The nomination has already been predetermined and therefore I won’t take part in a flawed process but I will definitely be at the ballot,” said Munyui.

Tuju in a statement on Thursday indicated that the party will conduct interviews in Muguga ward and Kiambaa. He asked aspirants to present themselves to the party’s Pangani-based office for interviews.

The secretary-general said successful candidates shall be presented with a nomination certificate in accordance with the party’s nomination rules.

"We regret any inconvenience caused by the change of mode of nominations," said Tuju.

Kiambu Governor James Nyoro on May 2, 2021, while on a tour of Kiambaa affirmed that Jubilee will not issue direct nomination to any candidate for the by-election.

“The party's Secretary-General has said it again and again that every aspirant planning to contest on a Jubilee ticket will be subjected to a free and fair nomination exercise,” said Governor Nyoro.

The fallout comes in the backdrop of the party’s loss in Juja, Rurii and Bonchari by-elections. The party is seeking to change tac and will renew its rivalry with United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

UDA is fronting Njuguna Wanjiku.