Football star McDonald Mariga has presented his nomination papers at the Jubilee headquarters in Pangani, ahead of Kibra’s by-elections which will be held on November 7.
Mariga, who is one of the aspirants seeking Jubilee Party’s ticket, was accompanied to the party offices by a group of his supporters, who were singing and dancing in praise of the former Serie A footballer.
On Friday, Jubilee Party’s National Election Board (NEB) reportedly cleared Mariga together with 16 other aspirants who will battle out for the party’s ticket.
Football star McDonald Mariga Wanyama presenting his papers at the Jubilee HQ. He has announced his interest in vying for the Kibra Parliamentary seat left vacant following the death of Ken Okoth. pic.twitter.com/9dCPNbB3sG
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) September 2, 2019
It was, however, reported that the 11-member National Elections Board (NEB), chaired by Andrew Musangi, was split into two rival camps in the process which will be used to nominate the party’s flagbearer.
Despite this, Musangi assured of a free and fair process, stating that the decision on who will emerge as the party’s flag bearer will be announced anytime from Monday after the pannel completes the interviews.
Other candidates who have been shortlisted include Omondi Rajab, Daniel Adem, Jack Owino, Daniel Orogo, Frank Amollo, Morris Kinyanjui, Walter Trenk, Ramadhan Hussein, Ibrahim Said, Timothy Kaimenyi, Doreen Wasike, Oscar Kambona, Jane Githaiga, Bukachi Chapin and Geoffrey Mwangi.
It is alleged that Deputy President William Ruto coerced his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, together with the party’s Secretary-General, Raphael Tuju, to field a candidate in Kibra against Jubilee’s handshake partner Hon. Raila Odinga.
It is highly expected that Ruto, together with his allies, are going to lead in campaigning for the Jubilee candidate in Kibra, a constituency largely considered as ODM’s backyard.
Ruto, according to analysts, is intending to flex muscles with ODM’s Raila Odinga as a way of gauging his political strength ahead of a major showdown in 2022.
The ruling party’s nominee will later face-off with among others, the ODM candidate who will be nominated in the party’s nominations exercise slated for Septembers 7.
Amani National Congress’s Eliud Owalo, together with candidates from other parties, are expected to give Jubilee and ODM candidates a run for their money.