Jubilee Party downplays defections by key politicians

The Jubilee Party has downplayed recent defections by some of its key politicians to other parties.

Party secretariat head Raphael Tuju on Tuesday said those moving to other parties are “simply jumping the gun”.

Mr Tuju spoke after holding a closed-door meeting with Jubilee elected leaders and aspirants from Kiambu County at Sahara West Hotel in Ruaka.

Mr Tuju’s remarks follows concern about insincerity among aspirants in the party’s strongholds, and fears of losing in the nominations.

Key people who have already abandoned the party include President Uhuru Kenyatta’s adviser on education and Meru gubernatorial aspirant Kiremi Mwiria, Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti, Deputy Governor Dorothy Nditi, Mbeere North MP Muriuki Njagagua and several ward representatives who have joined Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap party.

ECHOING UHURU'S ASSURANCES

Mr Tuju also said that the party has written to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) seeking its assistance in supervising the party’s nominations in April.

He said the party’s national elections board will be announced after the conclusion of the ongoing mass voter registration.

He echoed President Kenyatta’s assurances that the nominations will be free and fair.

“If somebody says that they suspect a process, which is going to be conducted by a national election board and IEBC is not going to be fair… what is the basis?”

“You should only complain after you have seen so and so in the elections board, who is in the IEBC and what is the process that is going to be followed in this nominations process. But at this particular stage, we have not released anything,” he said.

'EQUAL TREATMENT'

Mr Tuju also sought to allay fears among some aspirants that the party was favouring the elected leaders, saying they all will be accorded equal treatment.

Some hopefuls had accused some MPs, especially those named in the presidential campaign team, of “taking over” the party and locking them out.

The aspirants have protested that the party affairs in the counties are being run by MPs, who are using the opportunity to suppress their opponents.