Nyeri billionaire Wambura Wa Maranga has announced plans to contest the Mathira Parliamentary seat currently being held by fellow billionaire Rigathi Gachagua, a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto.
The 76-year-old politician had beaten Rigathi Gachagua in the Jubilee primaries but tables turned
Wambura Maranga and Rigathi Gachagua
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Wambura made the revelation after attending a church function at ACK Emmanuel Church in Karatina on Sunday, March 6, 2022.
She said her decision was informed by calls by the local population to represent them in Parliament.
“I want to thank the people of Mathira for the love they have shown me because God has put that love in their hearts and I also cultivated it,” she stated.
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Mathira politician Wambura wa Maranga
Pulse Live Kenya
The 76-year-old granny had vied for the Mathira MP seat in 2017 on an independent ticket but lost to Gachagua who was running on a Jubilee ticket but has since decamped to UDA.
According to data from the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission, Gachagua garnered 52,757 votes and Wambura came second with 28, 893 votes.
Interestingly the businesswoman had beaten Gachagua in the first round of Jubilee nominations in 2017, but lost by 4,000 votes when the party primaries were repeated.
“I am not out to make money. At my age, all I want is for the constituency to develop to international standards,” she often said during the 2017 campaign period.
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There have been murmurs that the Jubilee nominations could have been rigged in favour of certain candidates.
Deputy President William Ruto and Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua
Pulse Live Kenya
President Kenyatta recently made reference to the claims and seemed to admit that the Jubilee primaries could have been unfair.
He made the claims during his address at Sagana State Lodge where he acknowledged the emergence of small parties which he invited to work with the ruling party.
“Many of you have formed your own political parties and I have no problem with them. All I am asking is you bring your party so we can unite as a region, and also with others, so we can form the government,” he said.
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“I understand why most of you are holding onto your small parties because you know what befell you the other time,” he added.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria said during his thanksgiving ceremony in February that he was aware that some results were cooked.
"Even if I was not the cook in that kitchen, I used to carry salt, so I know all that transpired," Kuria stated.
