President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned top politicians from his Central turf against fighting him after losing the Jubilee party nominations.
Uhuru has, in a meeting of hundreds of losers at State House, stated that leaders who lost in the nominations should accept their loss and move on.
Sources privy to the meeting indicated that the President opined that losers were to support those chosen by the people to fly the Jubilee flag in Central Kenya.
“He asked us not to destabilize the party or fight Jubilee candidates on the ground, because that could affect voter turnout,” said a source that attended the meeting.
The President is also reported to have warned those who have decided to run as independents that they will be treated like the Opposition of they try to fight Jubilee and its candidates.
He told off Nyeri Town MP Esther Murugi, who said the region’s leaders had been thrown out and Jubilee managers favored some people.
Also read: “Raila being my brother is a biological accident” – Oburu Odinga
“Don’t come here to tell me Central has no leaders. That is not true. The region has new leaders who are replacing the old ones. I will work with the new crop of leaders,” Uhuru is reported to have said.
The outcome of the Jubilee Party nominations has presented a new headache for President Kenyatta.
Key members of the President's reelection team were beaten in the hotly contested primaries. Among those who lost are Kiambu Governor William Kabogo, Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando, Nyeri Town MP Murugi, Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau and Starehe MP Maina Kamanda.
Kiambu County gubernatorial looser William Kabogo is said to have skived the meeting.
Uhuru, while addressing Jubilee aspirants at the Bomas of Kenya on Saturday, President Kenyatta vowed to accommodate the losers in the just concluded polls.
Earlier, Kigumo MP Jamleck, who attended the State House meeting, said he will not leave Jubilee, despite losing to Mwangi wa Iria in the race for JP’s Murang’a governor.
The MP said he will continue serving the people of Kigumo until August, when his term ends, and he will also campaign for President Kenyatta.
“I have decided that I will not vie for Murang’a governor as an independent candidate, but will instead focus on my mandate as Kigumo MP and also campaign for President Uhuru's reelection bid,” he said.
Jamleck, who was speaking in Kirere Centre, further emphasised that he will continue with service to the community even after his tenure lapses in three months.
“We will however continue helping out where we can in terms of community development – for instance, all the children I have been educating, and those that are in the process of being sponsored, will have that aspect catered for,” he said.
The MP, who has been Kigumo legislator for two terms, called on his constituents to vote for “the right crop of leaders” to ensure development project initiatives do not stall.
“We all know what bad leaders make the voters go through, so I urge us all, as we cast our votes in August, let us be wary of such persons, otherwise we will all have ourselves to blame,” he stated.
Jamleck was defeated by Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria, who garnered 205,976 votes while the MP got 119,339 votes.
Kamau had rejected the results of the Murang’a Jubilee primaries, saying the process was flawed.
The MP said that ballot papers marked with his name were found strewn in various places within the country, clearly indicating they had been removed from ballot boxes to ensure they were not counted.
Jamleck said he will not appeal to challenge the process, adding he had already complained to Jubilee Party before the nominations "but was ignored".
Peter Kenneth and William Kabogo have since their defeat; expressed disquiet in Uhuru led Jubilee Party over claims of a sham process. Kabogo pointed an accusing figure to a powerful force in Jubilee Party that vowed to eliminate him, losing to Kabete MP Fernand Waititu.