Four in the bag, more troop to Jubilee for Kiambu senator ticket

Four senator aspirants have registered to take part in the Jubilee Party primaries in Kiambu county.

Those who have so far paid the required Sh250,000 nomination fee are Governor James Nyoro’s head of service delivery, John Mugwe, Limuru politician George Maara, Dominic Gicheru, who served as  county Chief Officer for Public Administration during  William Kabogo’s regime) and Elizabeth  Kimani who was Nyoro’s running mate in 2013.

Jubilee is, however, still receiving  applications after it extended the deadline for registration because of what Deputy Secretary General Joshua Kutuny (left) termed “overwhelming support from aspirants who are still coming on board.”

The party has, through its newly-appointed Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, assured aspirants that there would be no favouritism. 

“Jubilee Party will not be issuing direct nomination to any aspiring candidate. One of our guiding principles is participation and inclusivity of people in governance and equality of all before the law,” says the Ndaragwa MP.

He will square it out with former State House political affairs director Machel Waikenda of Chama Cha Kazi, former  county Speaker Gathii Irungu of Kabogo’s Jibebe Party, impeached former Kiambu Youth Executive Karungo Thangwa of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and former MCA Mutonya Njenga.

The Jubilee aspirants are hoping that ongoing efforts by Uhuru and his allies from the mountain region to rejuvenate the party will yield fruit, particularly in the president’s backyard. In 2017, Mugwe dropped his bid for the governor seat in favour of disgraced former Governor Ferdinand Waititu.

“Jubilee is the ruling party, and has roots in Mt Kenya region. Jubilee is committed to having more resources going to the grassroots, where we have seen devolution changing the lives of our people,” Mugwe said yesterday.

“The party is also committed to more equitable sharing of the national cake, with population size being a huge factor in the allocation,” he added.

Maara previously contested for the Limuru parliamentary seat and has expressed confidence that he will clinch the ticket.

Gicheru unsuccessfully contested for the Gatundu North parliamentary seat in 2017 but lost to Wanjiku wa Kibe.