Rumors on the political street have hinted that ANC candidae Eliud Owalo might be withdrawing his candidature for Jubilee aspirant MC Donald Mariga in the upcoming Kibra parliamentary seat.
My mole says Eluid Owalo of ANC will be withdrawing from the Kibra race to back #Mariga of the 'Karibu Betin' fame.
When I asked why, the mole went offline.
Sema pesa otas!#KenyaUnderRuto pic.twitter.com/084bax92ZI
— Ma†e †ongola ™ (@Mate_Tongola) September 27, 2019
The race has had four main contenders;Imran Okoth(ODM),Eliud Owalo (ANC),Engineer Butichi(Ford-Kenya) and Jubilee ‘s Mc Donald Mariga.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s endorsement
President Uhuru Kenyatta endorsed footballer McDonald Mariga’s candidature in the Kibra by-election in a surprise move that now complicates the contest.
The development is a major boost to Mr Mariga, whose entry into the political ring caused major infighting within the ruling Jubilee Party amid accusations that his candidature was being pushed by Deputy President William Ruto.
But his endorsement at State House jointly by Uhuru and Dr Ruto, who are Jubilee Party leader and deputy party leader respectively, ensures the Jubilee candidate now heads into the campaign projecting the ruling party is solidly behind his candidature.
Uhuru’s move now complicates campaigns in the constituency, as Jubilee and Opposition Chief Raila Odinga’s ODM will have to face off in a major battle that will test the March 9, 2018 truce between the two leaders that saw the ruling party skip subsequent by-elections to avoid a confrontation with their newfound partners.
His decision also throws into confusion a wing of Jubilee, mainly Kieleweke allied MPs, who had vowed to campaign against Mariga, who they had labelled a candidate of the Tangatanga camp, which they accuse of working to wreck Uhuru and Raila’s handshake.
Previously, there were reports that Uhuru was not keen on having a candidate in the constituency that has traditionally backed Raila to avoid a political face-off, but a statement from State House yesterday, backed with a photo of the President handing Mariga a cap branded with the Jubilee Party colours, signals that the ruling party is determined to wrestle the seat from ODM.
Uhuru assured the football star of his backing in the November 7 mini poll occasioned by the death of ODM’s Ken Okoth.
