Aspirants in dilemma as Jubilee merger drags on

City lawyer Mugambi Imanyara at Meru town on March 17, 2016. He declared for the Meru senatorial seat. He said they are consulting to establish a third force in Meru politics to oppose the groupings lead by senator Kiraitu Murungi and gover Peter Munya. PHOTO: PETER MUTHOMI/Standard

Aspirants in the Mt Kenya stronghold of President Uhuru Kenyatta are in a dilemma of political identity as the merger of parties in the Jubilee coalition enters the final stretch.

The ruling coalition’s primaries are expected to be cut-throat and crowded because nearly all aspirants identify with the ticket of the president’s party and winners expect an enviable head start.

But there is an unnerving realisation that candidates will be fighting for a single Jubilee Party ticket and that is why some politicians are keeping their options open.

The recent “sacking” of The National Alliance (TNA) Kiambu County Coordinator Gladys Chania is seen as the sign of the intrigues that could mark the run-up to the Jubilee Party primaries.

Ms Chania is seen as one of the front runners for the Jubilee Party ticket and other hopefuls are believed to have been behind the move to remove her and minimise her visibility ahead of the party launch.

In Meru County, most senatorial, gubernatorial and parliamentary hopefuls have underlined their demand for free and fair primaries if the party is to retain the advantage of incumbency in the key stronghold.

Notably, most of those interviewed expressed reservations that Jubilee party merger co-chair Kiraitu Murungi had already formed a caucus with his two close allies – Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi who is pushing for senatorial ticket and County MP Florence Kajuju who is pushing for a ticket to defend her seat. “The easiest way to go about it is for someone to pick another party of their choice and forge on rather than wait to sweat it out in uncertain primaries,” said senatorial aspirant and lawyer Mugambi Imanyara.

The lawyer, who has been meeting constituency leaders delegations weekly in Meru said most of the candidates are currently in the most expensive phase of mobilising campaign teams and were yet to experience the real dilemma of the identity crisis. “For now, we are telling our supporters that we shall be in whatever party that Uhuru and Ruto will be,” he said.

Confronting the dilemma

Women MP aspirant Elizabeth Kailemia said she was also confronting the dilemma of the Jubilee merger co-chair having teamed up with the incumbent and her expected rival in the party primaries.

Ms Kailemia, who lost in a close race with Kajuju said she was worried because it was a merger co-chair who had taken sides.

Another Meru senatorial aspirant, Mwiti Kathendu said with Senator Murungi being the point man of the merger process, he sees the Jubilee Party as a locked affair, with 100 per cent of many potential aspirants being unfairly denied the ticket.

Meru United Republican Party chairman James Mithika, who is interested in the Igembe Central seat has previously accused the Kikali team of implying that direct tickets could be given to incumbent MPs through pronouncements that MPs should be get more than a single term. But Senator Kiraitu said through a spokesman that he had stated clearly that he favoured competitive primaries for all seats in the proposed Jubilee outfit. A member of the Jubilee merger steering committee and Ford People Chairman Albert Nyakundi however said most of the fears will be assuaged once the party structures come into being.

Nyaundi, who spoke at a harambee in Meru said they had proposed to devolve the nominations and issuance of certificates to the County Elections Board (CEB) which will be constituted by an electoral college comprising aspirants in each area.

“Once the nominations are held in the counties, the CEB chairman will sign and issue a certificate to the winner who will then bring it to Nairobi for ratification by the National Election Board chairman,” he said.

In Murang’a County, aspirants are also in a dilemma over political parties they will use to contest the next General Election.

But none of the politicians has given out clear indication on the political party they will be affiliated to, but claimed they all belong to JAP. Parliamentary aspirants Peter Kimari, Samuel Kamau Ng’ang’a (Kandara) and Joseph Munyoro (Kigumo) have identified themselves with JAP. “There will be no short cut to win a political seat in Mt Kenya region unless one is in JAP, which has a huge following countrywide,” said Kimari.

Political analyst Benjamin Gachagua said there are internal discontents that should be streamlined to give the Jubilee party a head start as TNA officials fear being kicked out from their comfort zone.

Three of the six aspirants for the Embu gubernatorial seat are eyeing the Jubilee Party ticket, setting the stage for a fierce contest to win in nominations since the party can only accommodate one person.

The incumbent Governor Martin Wambora, Runyenjes, MP Cecily Mbarire and public sector management consultant Kithinji Kiragu are all eyeing the ticket. The three are perceived as the major contestants for the seat, while the Jubilee Party ticket is expected to end with one of the aspirants said to be close to the presidency.

Wambora recently announced that his bid to recapture his seat will be founded on the Jubilee Party to garner majority support at the County Assembly.

Mbarire is also hopeful of landing the same party’s ticket and has been popularising it and urging the people to vote in Jubilee in the 2017 elections.

Kithinji Kiragu, who was second in the 2013 elections and contested the results after vying on an Alliance Party of Kenya ticket is also determined to get the Jubilee Party ticket.

Democratic Party National Organising Secretary Njagi Kumantha, who is also in the race will vie on his party’s ticket while Embu Nyangi Ndiiriri, the council of elders chairman is expected to vie on a Ford Asili ticket.

Lakipia Senatorial aspirant Simon Mithamo, who is allied to the Party of National Unity said however much the Jubilee umbrella parties wished for a single entity, it was clear the small parties will stay intact and reap much from the expected fallout in the primaries.

Mithamo said small parties are crucial in enhancing democracy in the country, unlike during a situation when there is only one party forming the government and another in the Opposition.