Jubilee leaders ask Nasa to restrain supporters

Leaders allied to the Jubilee Party on Saturday challenged the National Super Alliance to make good its threats to boycott the repeat presidential poll set for October 17.

The group — led by Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege and Laikipia Senator John Kinyua — maintained that the election will be held as scheduled irrespective of whether the Opposition participates or not.

They spoke in Shamanei Village, Laikipia County, during the burial of Governor Nderitu Muriithi’s mother.

NO POLITICS

Governor Muriithi’s mother, Elizabeth Mumbi Muriithi, who was also former President Mwai Kibaki’s sister-in-law, died last week aged 86.

Mr Kibaki attended the burial but did not address the mourners.

Mr Muriithi only paid a brief tribute to his mother, and asked the mourners to bear with him as he was too devastated to talk politics.

The church leaders who presided over the ceremony had earlier warned politicians against politicking at the ceremony.

VIOLENCE

Mr Kinyua Kibaki, a nephew of the former president, thanked Laikipia residents for coming to the aid of the family during the trying moments.

Governor Waititu said the Jubilee Party is mobilising its supporters ahead of the repeat election.

Addressing the mourners, Mr Waititu warned Nasa against mobilising its supporters to cause havoc in the country.

Without elaborating, he said: “We are prepared.”

POLL PETITIONS

He added that they will not sit back and watch as the Opposition destroys the country.

Mr Kuria accused Nasa flagbearer Raila Odinga of mobilising opposition supporters to plunge the country into anarchy.

He asked former Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu and Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua to withdraw election petitions they filed in court.

“I am asking you to withdraw these petitions as we go to the election. It does not augur well for the President, whose election was nullified. It will also appear that our elections were bungled,” Mr Kuria told mourners.

INCITER

He urged the electorate in central Kenya to ensure they vote for President Kenyatta in large numbers next month.

Mr Kuria, who spoke in the presence of National Cohesion and Integration Commission chairman Francis ole Kaparo, jokingly said: “Kaparo is looking for the police but today I am not politicking.”