Mt. Kenya Jubilee politicians bank on Uhuru tours to shore up their survival

Jubilee leaders in the Mount Kenya region are relying on visits by President Uhuru Kenyatta in the region to help them to beat an expected strong show by the UDA party associated with William Ruto.

The President is expected to visit the Counties in the region mounting political wars with his deputy president who has been traversing the area in a vote hunt mission.

According to the leaders, the President’s appearance would strengthen Jubilee’s presence in the region and would help to water down Ruto’s UDA influence in Mount Kenya.

The leaders also said they had convinced several defectors who had followed deputy president William Ruto to rejoin the party.

However, soon after the election and the handshake, the Jubilee party has been rocked by numerous infighting, earning the once-vibrant outfit the label of Tower of Babel— a tower that was presumptuously intended to reach from earth to heaven but could not.

President Uhuru during the recent party meetings held last week at Sagana and KICC assured his supporters of a titanic battle for the party to reclaim back its lost glory. Uhuru said that the Jubilee has been working dispelling Rumours that it was dead.

Immediately after Sagana III and Kenyatta International Conference centre delegates meeting, a lot of aspirants have shown interest to vie for the seat after Uhuru Kenyatta constituted the party leadership structure.

Sagana has been mounted as the headquarters of all Mt Kenya politics as was seen with Sagana I and II.

Uhuru Kenyatta and his allies have vigorously stepped out to resuscitate Jubilee as a crucial part of the bigger political plan to cut Ruto down to size, especially in Mount Kenya.

Deputy President William Ruto during his latest tour in the Mount Kenya region said that the Jubilee outfit is on a roller coaster to self-destruction after Uhuru allies subjected members allied to him to the chopping board instead of ironing out problems.

Speaking on Monday, Jubilee nominated senator Isaac Ngugi said that the outfit is alive and strong, dismissing critics.

He said that President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to tour the whole of Mount Kenya region commissioning mega projects before he exits office as well as campaign for the party and its candidates.

Ngugi expressed confidence that a lot of politicians who had left the party and joined the UDA associated with the deputy president are on their way back to the Jubilee party.

“I know most of the politicians in other camps and are ready to join the Jubilee party after Uhuru has shown committed effort to revive it, we are ready to receive them and they should come back with zero demand, “he said.

Kirinyaga women representative Purity Ngirichi is said to be warming for the Jubilee ticket after her fall out with UDA party officials including the deputy president.

Last week on Wednesday, Ngirichi attended president Uhuru’s Sagana meeting after she recently held an exclusive meeting with interior principle secretary Karanja Kibicho who also shelved his gubernatorial bid.

Among the leaders marketing the Jubilee in the Mount Kenya region includes former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Nominated MP Maina Kamanda, Wangari Mwaniki (Kigumo), Nduati Ngugi (Gatanga), Peter Kimari (Mathioya), Jeremiah Kioni (Ndaragwa) and former Murang’a Senator Kembo Gitura.

Others include Ngunjiri Wambugu (Nyeri town), Sabina Chege (Murang’a), James Nyoro (Kiambu), Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua), Waihenya Ndirangu (Roysambu) and former cabinet secretary Cecile Kariuki among others.

Juja parliamentary aspirant Karanja Ngarachu said that he has left the UDA party and joined the Jubilee after fearing that he might be rigged out during the UDA nomination exercise.

He said that the recent move by President Uhuru Kenyatta to show a willingness to revive the party has worked well with leaders who had left the party.

He said that the recent grassroots mobilizations on constituency and ward level can’t be underscored as they always offer the region the necessary political direction.

“Muthamaki dateagwo (you can never disown the king). And Uhuru as the holder of this position is the most capable person to give the region the necessary direction and this is the reason why we are coming back to make the party strong again,” Ngarachu said.

He added that already president Uhuru Kenyatta’s Mt Kenya troops have rolled out an aggressive campaign to axe DP William Ruto’s perceived influence in the region and the recent installation of Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni gave the party a new life.

Mount Kenya MCAs caucus chairman Charles Mwangi Ng’ang’a (Ichagaki one) has said that it’s only a fool who can imagine that Uhuru doesn’t command the region.

Ichagaki said that big billboards, some with the President’s image will be erected in parts of central Kenya as well as Nairobi County.

Political analyst and columnist with Star Albert Kasembeli said that most of the aspirants in Mount Kenya will have to rally behind Uhuru Kenyatta who is party leader for them to win their respective seats.

Kasembeli said that the Jubilee party isn’t withstanding political turbulence basically because it was not founded on a strong and long-term ideology, unlike CCM of Tanzania and or ANC of South Africa.

He said that the Party in 2017 was in hurry to form a strong coalition without considering a strong foundation that would last them for years.

“If Jubilee is to remain alive even after revamping, it will not have the impact it had in the last election. The fact that it has united with ODM and another associate party, it will now concentrate more on its strongholds and might not field candidates in opposition zone, “he said.

Former Kirinyaga Central MP Joseph Gitari who has since joined UDA has said that Jubilee aspirants will have a rough time while campaigning.

He said that the revival of the Jubilee has not been felt on the ground compared to their party.

He expressed optimism that Ruto’s allied party will have most leaders elected on UDA noting that the recent outburst by Uhuru at Sagana State lounge didn’t auger well with most of the people.

“It’s too later for the Jubilee party to revive, we as UDA are miles ahead and thus we can’t compete on the same platform, “he said.

Nominated senator Maina Kamanda during a recent television interview said that the Jubilee party will only contest in friendly areas that it commands.

He said that in Nairobi County, they will hold a joint nomination and field only candidates who are strong and popular.