In a turn of events, reports have emerged on a possibility that former Inter Milan star McDonald Mariga may have planted an artificial crowd in Kibra to prove a point in the runup to November polls in Kibra constituency.
In his Sunday rally that was widely reported to be proof that ODM leader Raila Odinga had lost much ground at the largest urban slum in Africa, Mariga addressed a mammoth crowd that has been the subject of discussion.
A section of netizens has pointed out to some factors suggesting that Mariga allegedly ferried some of the attendees from as far as Kiambu County.
At around 9 am today along Thika Road. Jubilee (read DP Ruto ) was ferrying People in lorries as far as from Murang'a,Thika,Kiambu,Kasarani etc to attend Mariga rally in Kibra. These are not Kibra voters. Real Kibra voters have gone to Kasarani to watch Gor Mahia Match#mariga
— Kioko Nzyimi (@KiokoNzyimi) September 29, 2019
Netizens described telltale signs that the rally could have been staged, pointing to a section of the attendees donning official Jubilee Party -branded T-shirts, banners and caps.
One Twitter user has since taken the pain to explain how the event venue had buses on the sidelines ready to ferry back the attendees to wherever they had been picked.
Deny this:
Yesterday at 5PM,a team of 5 guys,each with 5M each were dispatched to Dandora,Kariobangi,Kawangware,Kayole and Githurai to outsorce atleast 2000 youths…that's where even these tshirts they are wearing were given out…i will post the buses that were Hired
— Mr. Kinuthia Pius. (@Belive_Kinuthia) September 29, 2019
Raila gained popularity among the slum dwellers after winning successive elections in then Langata constituency for more than twenty years since 1992.
ODM has fronted the late Ken Okoth’s brother and CDF manager ‘Imran’ Okoth to fly the party’s flag in the upcoming elections which attracted some 24 candidates.
While Deputy President William Ruto skipped the rally, Mariga was accompanied by a host of Jubilee legislators including nominated Senator Millicent Omanga and Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie.
Mariga is seen as a hand-picked candidate after a section of Jubilee leaders openly opposed his candidature, key among them former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda and Youth &Gender Affairs CAS Racheal Shebesh.
Shebesh said a few individuals sneaked Mariga into State House and forced President Kenyatta to take a photo with him.
While President Kenyatta has steered clear of the Kibra by-election, DP Ruto has vowed Mariga must win the seat.
The seat fell vacant after Kibra MP Ken Okoth succumbed to colorectal cancer in July.