Jubilee vice chairman David Murathe has opined that Deputy
President William Ruto and his allies can support any candidate and use any political
party in the Msambweni by-election after Jubilee pulled out of the contest.
In a statement on Wednesday, the DP expressed his
displeasure with the party’s the decision, adding that he will accept it, but
it was not the right one.
According to DP Ruto, he was of the opinion that the party
should field a candidate, especially since his ally Sharlet Mariam Akinyi
Onyango had expressed interest in contesting for the seat on a Jubilee
party ticket.
“We have held a meeting with the SG (Raphael Tuju) on the decision made. I am satisfied with the decision. Those who had intentions to use Jubilee Party in Msambweni to use alternative avenues. I was of a completely different view that the party should have fielded a candidate. We want to speak from one position as a party, I, however, sympathize with Mariam who is here,” he said.
Read More
Reacting to the DP’s statement, Murathe noted that Jubilee
Secretary General Raphael Tuju speaks for the party leader, and as such, if
Ruto is not happy, he should square it out with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“We are supporting the handshake candidate because we are
not going to jeopardise the BBI (Building Bridges Initiative) for a seat we are
not going to win.
“There are several parties that they can use to field a candidate if they have to. There is that The Service Party (TSP) by Mwangi Kiunjuri. They have to know that what Tuju has said is the party position. If Ruto has a problem with the decision, let him face the president because the SG has basically communicated the position of the party leader,” he said during a recent interview with a local media outlet.
