ODM MPs to join Jubilee Party, support Uhuru’s re-election

President Uhuru Kenyatta got a boost when several Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MPs said they will defect from their party and support his re-election in 2017.

The ODM legislators, while attending Devolution CS Mwangi Kiunjuri’s homecoming party at Nanyuki stadium, announced that they would be joining Jubilee Party and campaign for the president’s re-election.

Tigania East MP Mpuri Aburi said he had supported ODM party leader Raila Odinga for a long time but said it was clear that he will never win any election, and termed Mr Kenyatta's re-election as ‘unstoppable’.

“Kama inateremka hakuna haja ya kubembeleza (if it is descending, there is no need of consoling it),” the MP said.

Mathare MP Stephen Kariuki said he had been impressed by Jubilee administration’s record in Mathare and Kibera and would be a youth ambassador to ensure the president is re-elected.

“I’ll be the one to urge people to join Jubilee Party and there’s no way I can be doing so and be left behind,” he said.

Kitutu Chache MP Richard Onyonka said he is in ODM but Jubilee friendly and pledged to ‘campaign house-to-house’ for the President.

LAND IN TROUBLE

However, Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel landed into trouble with the crowd when he said he was in ODM to stay and was speaking on behalf of Laikipia North residents who voted for him.

The hostile crowd jeered him forcing Mr Kiunjuri to intervene before Mr Lempurkel handed the president a memorandum before returning to his seat.

Others who said they would join Jubilee are Buuri MP Kinoti Gatobu, former Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito and former Laikipia West MP Nderitu Mureithi.

ORDER

President Kenyatta, during the event, instructed Internal Security cabinet secretary Joseph Nkaissery to deal with insecurity along the Laikipia –Isiolo border.

He warned that the government will not allow a few people to cause anxiety and disrupt economic activities as a means of gaining political mileage.

“We have done a lot to restore security in the country and we will not allow a few individuals who think they will disrupt peace and harmony of the people to be elected,” the President said during the home-coming ceremony on Saturday.

He instructed the Interior CS to go to Laikipia North on Sunday to solve the insecurity issues, adding that nobody has a right to threaten or divide Kenyans along tribal lines.

The president said he will return to the county soon to discuss several projects like health, roads and water.