Nominated MP Sabina Chege: Ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta has remained aloof on party matters

Nominated MP Sabina Chege. The legislator says she will not attend Azimio rallies. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Nominated MP Sabina Chege has lifted the lid on several issues after the August 2022 election.

Speaking on Inooro TV Sunday evening, the former Murang'a Woman Representative explained what has been happening behind the scenes.

Sabina had been likened to having given Raila Odinga the 'appropriate shoes' to climb the mountain.

"We indeed attempted to climb the mountain, and gave it a good try. Raila Odinga got the highest number of votes in Mt Kenya ever since he started vying for the presidential seat. I also got a chance to learn a lot by touring the country.

There are things we did well, while in others we went wrong towards the finishing line. The winner of the election was announced and we accepted. It was a tough journey, and I took some time to heal, that's why you have not seen me in the media as before," said Sabina.

Sabina also disclosed why she has not been attending the Azimio rallies across the country.

"Raila Odinga has been at the forefront of democracy for so many years, but the question he needs to ask himself having made five attempts at the presidency is, 'what has he been doing over the years repeatedly without taking the lessons each time?' In the last election, he even had the backing of the former president... He has been a front runner in previous elections, and apart from 2002, every time he has lost, they always result to demonstrations and disputing election results.

What follows are what seems to be individual endeavours and not those of his supporters, such as the March 2018 handshake. These demonstrations involve people and affect businesses... such as in the towns they have been held, businesses come to a standstill. The first day of the demonstrations was also school reopening day. I am a parent. How could I go to demonstrations on such a day when my children are reporting back to school... that they would see their mother saying she doesn't recognize the government of the day? What made me decline attending demonstrations is because they're not constructive, but instead draw our country backwards," Sabina said.

According to her, Jubilee party has not communicated about demonstrations.

"My party Jubilee has never called me to a meeting and informed me that we need to hold demonstrations to address certain issues. There is no such direction from my party," said Sabina.

The legislator also disclosed that Jubilee party MPs are yet to meet with its leader, former President Uhuru Kenyatta after the August 2022 elections.

"Leaders elected under the Jubilee party ticket have never met with the party leader, and it's not once, twice or thrice that they have requested for a meeting. The Secretary General has not called for a meeting of Jubilee party Mps," said Sabina.

She also cried foul over allocation of positions among Jubilee leaders, saying that Azimio has shortchanged Jubilee.

"After the elections, we requested our party leader that the membership of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) is retained by someone from Mt. Kenya. So that when allocation of funds to counties is being discussed, one of us is there. And we settled on former Gender Commissioner Priscilla Nyokabi.

We even wrote a letter, but upon arrival on the floor of parliament, our friends in Azimio gave it to Fatuma Gedi. No explanation was made. Jubilee party has no substantive roots and does not support its members. The same loss was experienced in membership to the Parliamentary Service Commission where the seat reserved for Jubilee was taken by ODM," said Sabina.

The interference into Jubilee by other parties Sabina says has affected leaders elected under the party.

"It is high time that our party leader tells us what he wants with the party. Most especially, let him call for a meeting. Jubilee has now been reduced to a weak party, even in parliament. We look like orphans, and eventually we saw our party leader campaigning in a truck in Kisumu," said Sabina.

She wants a reorganization of the party.

"We need to have a clear agenda as Jubilee and identify what we want to push for in parliament. Lack of leadership has resulted into the wrangles you now see. My prayer and wish is that we have a party leader who listens, consults and engages with others. Jubilee was the ruling party and should live up to its name." Said Sabina