Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday September 24, 2020 introduced his preferred candidate for the upcoming Msambweni by-elections.
This comes just a day after the second in command was cornered by Jubilee party Secretary General Raphael Tuju at the party’s headquarters along Thika Road in Pangani, Nairobi.
The DP had on Wednesday hoped to turn the tables on the party and hand the ticket to a candidate for the by-elections.
However, Tuju had already announced that the party was not going to field a candidate in the by-election occasioned by the death of MP Suleiman Dori.
He then held a two-hour meeting with Ruto, who then came out to announce that he would abide by the party decision though he did not agree with it.
The DP said he was of a different view on Jubilee fielding a candidate and said he was not consulted.
He had however, hinted that he would support any candidate who is not a Jubilee party member, that will approach him seeking for his support.
Notably, Mariam Sharlete, who recently decamped from ODM, had arrived at Jubilee headquarters to pick her nomination papers for the December 15 by-election.
A day later, the DP hosted another candidate at his Karen residence in Nairobi.
The second in command met Feisal Abdallah Bader who was in the company of Coast MPs Athman Shariff (Lamu East), Mohamed Ali (Nyali), Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga) and Aisha Jumwa (Malindi).
“Met an aspirant for Msambweni parliamentary seat Feisal Abdallah Bader in company of Coast MPs Athman Shariff (Lamu East), @MohaJichoPevu (Nyali), Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga) and @HonJumwa (Malindi) at Karen, Nairobi County,” he tweeted.
Met an aspirant for Msambweni parliamentary seat Feisal Abdallah Bader in company of Coast MPs Athman Shariff (Lamu East), @MohaJichoPevu (Nyali), Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga) and @HonJumwa (Malindi) at Karen, Nairobi County. pic.twitter.com/BrtUyo1gez
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) September 24, 2020
Jumwa, who is an ODM rebel MP, and Mohamed Ali are some of the strongest DP Ruto allies from the Coastal region.
