Kilemi Mwiria ditches Jubilee, to announce new party

Meru gubernatorial aspirant Kilemi Mwiria has ditched Jubilee Party and has said he will announce a new political vehicle soon.

Dr Mwiria, the President’s adviser on education, said he would make known his new party by Friday.

The former assistant minister for higher education, who lost to Governor Peter Munya in the 2013 elections, has been vocal in questioning the Jubilee Party's resolve to assure a free and fair nomination in Meru County.

"I will announce the party on which I will vie for governor by Friday. My supporters have advised me that I am likely to be rigged out if I go through Jubilee Party. I am in talks with several parties that are friendly to the president," Dr Mwiria said.

He said he was not given enough time to raise his concerns before President Kenyatta during his recent visit to the county.

LOST CONFIDENCE

During the meeting, Dr Mwiria said he had lost confidence in Jubilee Party in Meru.

“I have no problem with the Jubilee party led by Mr Kenyatta, but there is a problem with Jubilee in Meru,” Dr Mwiria said before the President at Kaaga Primary School.

In an interview on a local radio station, Dr Mwiria cited unfair Jubilee Party leadership elections and formation of an outfit dubbed Kikali, within the party, which brings together Senator Kiraitu Murungi and MPs Mithika Linturi (Igembe South) and Florence Kajuju (Woman Representative).

The gubernatorial aspirant said Kikali had created an unfair playground within the party causing him to lose trust in the impending nominations.

"Before the 2013 elections, Mr Murungi among other leaders had agreed to back me before he secretly abandoned me for Mr Munya. I contested the elections in court and Mr Murungi was behind the incumbent governor before they parted ways. Senator Murungi has proved to be untrustworthy," he said.

'LACK OF AWARENESS'

Dr Mwiria said that by vying on a different party's ticket, he would help the President garner more votes in Meru, "since all voters cannot support JP".

"The JP chairman and [the] secretary-general in Meru were all APK officials who were against me in 2013. The secretary-general is an MCA, which is against party rules. They can decide to gang [up] against me again," he remarked.

He said having garnered more than 180,000 votes in 2013, he was assured of trouncing his opponents in the August elections.

Mwenda Mbijiwe, who is also vying for the governorship on a Jubilee ticket, has also decried lack of fairness within the Jubilee Party in Meru.