Jubilee faces fallout in Nyamira

DP William Ruto is mobbed by delegates after a meeting with members of the Kisii and Nyamira political and opinion leaders at his Sugoi home. PHOTO: FILE

The Jubilee Party is grappling with an imminent fallout between aspirants in Nyamira and its top leadership.

Last week, Deputy President William Ruto met a section of the aspirants in what was viewed as crisis talks to stop possible defections from the party.

However, it appears the politicians had already made up their minds to shop for another party to sponsor their ambitions.

According to the politicians' confidants, senatorial aspirant Joseph Kiangoi Ombasa, gubernatorial contender Walter Nyambati, and aspiring Woman Representative Jerusha Momanyi felt frustrated by the DP's treatment.

The DP was scheduled to attend more than five rallies but he ended up addressing only two functions in North Mugirango. The cancellation of the DP's tour of Kitutu Masaba and parts of North Mugirango constituencies were said to have been prompted by negative intelligence reports from the areas.

Wesley Onyinkwa, a blogger, on Wednesday posted an audio clip of Mr Nyambati sharing his frustrations with the party. This has elicited speculation on the motives of the former Kitutu Masaba MP.

 

SUITABLE PARTY

In the clip, Nyambati hinted that he was looking for a suitable party to sponsor his gubernatorial campaign.

If Kiangoi exits from Jubilee, then the party will have Mr Timothy Rioba as its flag-bearer for the Senate seat.

Nyambati's departure, on the other hand, would leave Dr William Nyakiba as a strong Jubilee candidate for the Nyamira governorship.

The turbulence that is being witnessed may mean that the DP's grip on the region may have been compromised, giving the National Supper Alliance the upper hand.

"It is going to be suitable and safer for us (the disgruntled aspirants) to go to a Jubilee-friendly party...they (parties) are many," Nyambati is heard saying in the clip.

On Friday, Nyambati confirmed that indeed there was a disagreement, particularly between him and the top Jubilee leadership, over what he termed as "small domestic matters" but which he said were now resolved following the meeting with Ruto.

Sources close to the three aspirants indicated that the list of candidates favoured to vie for the party's ticket has already been made.

Unconfirmed reports have indicated that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy have been relying on intelligence reports from the ground and that this is likely to influence the party's decisions at the grassroots.

It should be remembered that the President disbanded a formation of politicians he referred to as the presidential campaign team, an idea which was perceived to have harmed the party in the region.