Jubilee team of Sakaja, Kuria faces hostility in Kitui

A Jubilee vote-hunting rally in Kitui town ended in disarray after a hostile crowd disrupted it and forced the conveners to hurriedly leave.

Trouble began on Tuesday evening when speakers who converged at the Kalundu market on the outskirts of Kitui Township urged the residents to affirm whether or not they supported Jubilee administration in the region, to which they roared back in disagreement.

Shouts of "Wiper, Nasa, Unga" rent the air as the crowd tried to outwit the Jubilee brigade and stop them from penetrating into an Opposition zone.

The frenzied crowd drowned voices of MPs, Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Johnson Sakaja (Nominated), Joe Mutambu (Mwingi central), Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) and former CS Amos Kimunya who tried in vain to cool down the chanting and shouting mob.

At one moment, Mwingi West parliamentary hopeful Mwende Mwinzi gave in to the pressure and told the rowdy crowd that it was their constitutional right to vote for their preferred leaders and parties even if it meant electing National Supper Alliance (NASA).

Amid shouts, Mwinzi said time was gone when people elected leaders on the basis of parties of their affiliation as opposed to their policies and ideologies.

The ruling coalition had organised a road show and a music gala to drum support for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto ahead of the August 8 elections. The road show began in Mwingi region and ended in Kitui town.

A section of the crowd demanded to be given money, accusing the organisers of being "hirelings aimed at auctioning Kambas to Jubilee."

Heavy presence of uniformed and plain clothed security officers led by Kitui Central OCPD Muthuri Mwongera kept a close vigil to contain the incident.

Kitui Central parliamentary hopeful Moses Banda and a gospel artist Ms Peace Mulu were also among the team who braved the hostility.

This comes in the wake of allegations that Kitui West MP and Majority Leader in the National Assembly Francis Nyenze and County gubernatorial aspirant and Senator David Musila were leaning on Jubilee.

However, Nyenze and Musila have denied reports that they were backing re-election of Uhuru.

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