Confusion has rocked the ruling Jubilee Party over Kibra by-election.
On Tuesday, the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission confirmed it had received a letter from Jubilee, forwarding the list of aspirants for Kibra, but returned it after the party disowned it.
“@IEBCKenya received a letter, on Monday 26th August 2019 at 5pm, forwarding names of aspirants of Jubilee Party for the Kibra by-election. However, it has come to the attention of the Commission that Jubilee Party has denied authoring the said letter and termed it as FAKE… Consequently, the Commission has written to the party forwarding a copy of the letter for the party’s information and further action,” the electoral agency said on Tuesday.
In his reply, Dennis Itumbi, a Jubilee blogger and secretary, Digital Innovations, said, “Asante @IEBCKenya for confirming a letter was delivered to your registry. Asante for also confirming that you do NOT have any official communication from Jubilee denying the authenticity of the letter. Let the Party Secretariat and Party Elections Board now speak. Vindicated!”
Jubilee on Tuesday denied a letter that listed among others former Kenya international and Inter Milan midfielder MacDonald Mariga as an aspirant for the Kibra parliamentary by-election.
In the letter to the IEBC chairman, Mariga was listed alongside Morris Peter Kinyanjui, Walter Mukinyingi, Said Ibrahim and Doreen Wasike.
Jubilee Party on its Twitter handle, however, termed the letter as fake.
“This letter that is making rounds within social media outlets is FAKE. Please note that any communication regarding the Kibra Constituency by-election will be done through the official Party organ,” the tweet read.
However, Itumbi responded saying, “ I stand by my update on the Kibra By-Election. Jubilee is going for Party Primaries. @IEBCKenya has the letter as attached. #SystemYaFacts”.
“Jubilee National Elections Board settled on a list of 5 names today. They then sent a letter to @IEBCKenya. Jubilee will conduct interviews to decide Kibra flagbearer on Sunday,” he continued.
The move, however, explains the behind the scene push and pull in Jubilee, with some saying one of the Jubilee faction was not for fielding as a candidate in the ODM heart after the handshake.
The Star on Tuesday reported that President Uhuru Kenyatta was reluctant to challenge ODM for the seat in the area perceived as the opposition’s stronghold.
“However, the DP, who has set his eyes on the presidency in 2022, was determined to flex his political muscle and test his clout in the capital city,” the paper said.
Since last the March 9, 2018 handshake, ODM and Jubilee have not fielded candidates against each other in the by-elections of Wajir West, Embakasi South and Ugenya.
