ODM Democratic Party Secretary-General, Edwin Sifuna, on Wednesday, dared soccer star McDonald Mariga to take part in the Kibra by-election race.
Sifuna was speaking during a local radio interview where he exuded confidence that the ODM party was ready to face any Jubilee party candidate in the forthcoming race including the former international midfielder, Mariga.
‘ODM is ready to face any Jubilee candidate for the Kibra race. Let them come, even if they bring a football player, we will deal with him,” Sifuna said.
Edwin Sifuna: Tuko tayari kumenyana na mgombezi wa chama cha @JubileePartyK, Kibra. Hata walete mchezaji mpira, tuko tayari!#JamboKenya pic.twitter.com/A86WoWkERG
— Radio Citizen (@RadioCitizenFM) August 28, 2019
It is also during the same interview that Sifuna confirmed the list of 11 ODM candidates cleared to contest for the party’s ticket in the Kibra by-elections as he insisted that the party had put in place efficient measures that will ensure fair party elections.
Orodha ya watakokutana kwenye debe Jumamosi hii kukagua atakayewania kiti cha ubunge Kibra na tikiti ya @TheODMparty #JamboKenya pic.twitter.com/KE7RVnZ4vl
— Radio Citizen (@RadioCitizenFM) August 28, 2019
Sifuna’s statement has come at a time that Mariga has found himself in the controversy facing Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), and Jubilee party over an alleged fake letter which listed the star among the party’s candidates for the November 7th race.
Jubilee Party Secretary-General, Raphael Tuju, on Monday, disowned the letter making rounds on social media just a day after he announced the party’s intention to field a candidate.
Candidates listed in the party included football star Mcdonald Mariga, Morris Peter Kinyanjui, Walter Trenk Mukinyingi, Said Ibrahim and Doreen Nangame.
In a statement issued on Monday, Tuju said the party consulted within the party leadership and arrived at the decision of fielding an aspirant.
“We would like to tell party members that Jubilee party will be fielding a candidate in the forthcoming Kibra Constituency by-election on November 7, 2019,” Tuju said.