Jubilee Party Secretary-General(SG) Raphael Tuju has cleared the air over reports indicating that their party’s candidate in the Kibra by-elections McDonald Mariga sneaked into StateHouse to receive the President’s endorsement.
Speaking to Citizen Tv, Newsnight show, Tuju insinuated that the assertions were far-fetched and totally impossible.
When asked whether the reports were true, the SG said: “I have sat close to two presidents, President Mwai Kibaki and President Uhuru Kenyatta, I have had an opportunity to be in Statehouse and what I can tell you that is not possible.”
In September, Gender CAS, Rachel Shebesh claimed that President Uhuru Kenyatta was coerced to endorse Mariga.
Shebesh, who was captured in a video recording stated that the Deputy President Wiliam Ruto and other Jubilee leaders gained access to State House through the back door.
“On that day when the president endorsed Mariga for Kibra race, I was in State House. I know how they mounted pressure on the president, and how they gained entry to State House. They used the backdoor,” claimed Shebesh.
The CAS went ahead to justify her allegations by claiming that the endorsement was fake no wonder the President never gave any statement on the matter.
“You and I both know our president is very vocal; he has a voice. On the Mariga endorsement issue, did you hear or watch him speak anywhere? We only saw pictures, he did not speak,” she stated.
According to Mariga, however, while speaking to Kikuyu delegates at Deputy President’s official residence in Karen, Nairobi, the Jubilee candidate said President Uhuru promised him his support.
The Jubilee candidate also claimed that President served him with water before handing the Jubilee branded cap to him.
“I will talk about this cap a little bit. Do you know the person who gave me this cap? We were there with many leaders but President Uhuru called me aside and told me lets have a private talk.
He told me to have a seat and I sat, he brought a glass of water and he told that the first thing I should do is to call the Kikuyu community and have a talk with them because he is sure you won’t let me down. And I am sure you won’t let me down,” claimed Mariga.