The by-elections in Embakasi South and Ugenya present a test for the cooperation between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition Leader Raila Odinga’s parties.

Yesterday, some ODM MPs demanded that their Jubilee Party counterparts stay out of campaigns.

They accused some of their Jubilee colleagues of campaigning for a rival candidate from Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper party for the Embakasi South parliamentary seat.

In the spirit of the March 9 handshake between Uhuru and Raila, Jubilee announced it would not field candidates for the two seats.

Speaking after witnessing the issuance of nomination certificates to Irshad Sumra (Embakasi South) and Christopher Karan (Ugenya) for the upcoming by-elections, the ODM Nairobi branch chairman and Makadara MP George Aladwa criticised some Jubilee MPs for actively being involved in the elections even though the party had said it would not field any candidate.

In what could be seen as a renewed rivalry pitching the two largest parties in the country, the battle appears to be far from over.

Renewed rivalry

Several Jubilee MPs last week endorsed Wiper’s Julius Mawathe in the Embakasi South by-election.

Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Charles Njagua (Starehe), George Theuri (Embakasi West) and Simon Mbugua (East African Legislative Assembly) were on Tuesday pictured alongside Mr Mawathe.

“We are seeing that Kuria is leading other leaders in supporting the other candidate. We want to tell him to stay away. This is not Gatundu,” said Mr Aladwa

He accused Mr Kuria of trying to undermine the handshake.

Other leaders who spoke during the function said the conversation about leaving the Embakasi South seat to a Wiper candidate was far-fetched. Oduor Ongwen, ODM’s executive director, while maintaining that the National Supper Alliance (NASA) still exists, said the coalition was only able to agree on the presidential candidate but not on other elective positions.

Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi warned what he termed as “team Tanga Tanga” against meddling in the Ugenya election.

Ford Kenya party has thrown its weight behind Wiper’s Mawathe.

In a statement, party leader Moses Wetang’ula, said the decision was reached by the party’s top organ.