The wrangles in Jubilee party have spilled over to NASA with a section of Jubilee Party MPs allied to DP Ruto keen on frustrating Raila Odinga who they perceive has been handed undue advantage over DP Ruto by the Jubilee party.
MPs allied to DP Ruto device new strategy to frustrate Raila
Battle lines drawn as MPs plot to settle scores with Raila
Reports indicate that the team, led by Gatundu South legislator Moses Kuria, Embakasi West MP George Theuri, Charles Njagua (Starehe), Makali Mulu (Kitui Central), Simon Mbugua (Eala) plan to settle scores with Odinga in the upcoming Embakasi South by elections.
To achieve this, the MPs have thrown their weight behind Wiper Party candidate Julius Mawathe with sibling rivalry between ODM and Wiper emerging.
While the MPs maintain that they made the decision in the spirit of the handshake and in exercise of their democratic right, insiders reveal that it is a scheme to get back at ODM party leader Raila Odinga whose entry into government through the handshake irked DP Ruto’s allies.
To this end, they plan to hand a humiliating defeat to ODM’s candidate Irshard Sumra and test the political might in the city ahead of the 2022 contest.
Reports indicate that the MPs may not be in agreement with the decision by Jubilee party not to field a candidate for the seat, maintaining that it gave Raila an undue advantage over Ruto in the political scheme of things.
Announcing the decision earlier this week, Kuria stated that “In the spirit of the handshake and the Building Bridges Initiative, like-minded leaders and I, in our individual capacities, have today resolved to support Musili Mawathe”.
Rival camps
While well-placed sources maintain that the decision by Jubilee to stay away from the by-election was in line with the President’s bid to endear himself to Raila, it has started a silent storm in Jubilee with disgruntled MPs vowing to use it to teach Odinga and Uhuru a lesson or two.
Speaking to a local newspaper on condition of anonymity, an MP privy to the details confirmed that the contest between Mawathe and Sumra has higher stakes for Jubilee, with rival camps emerging.
“We know that the victory will send a clear message to some people that those agreements by a few people will not have their way now and even in 2022,” the MP said.
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