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With only seven days to the Kiambaa parliamentary by election, Jubilee candidate Kariri Njama got a major boost yesterday following the defection of the chief United Democratic Alliance campaigner Raymond Kuria.

 Raymond was initially earmarked to run as the candidate People’s Empowerment Party  which is associated with Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, but was  prevailed upon to withdraw his candidature and rally his supporters behind the UDA candidate Kimani Wanjiku.

 But before Raymond’s withdrawal, Moses Kuria and  his Mathira counterpart Rigathi Gachagua clashed threatening to curtail UDA’s campaigns.

It  took the intervention of Deputy President William Ruto to cool down the tension.

Raymond-the founder of the Raymond Kuria Foundation  vied in  2013 and 2017 when lost to the late Koinange.He emerged a strong second in 2013. 

Yesterday, Raymond accompanied by Njama alongside three Jubilee aspirants who were knocked out during the party nominations, were escorted to State House by  jubilee MPs Jude Njomo, Kanini Kega and Sabina Chege-where they met President Uhuru Kenyatta.

 The former candidates included Charles Munyui, Damaris Waiganjo,  Lenah Koinange and Lucy Wanjiru who was the  Party of National Unity (PNU) candidate before withdrawing in favour of Njama.

Unpredictability of politics not withstanding, the defection of Raymond who commands huge support among the youth took Njama’s  chances of clinching the seat a notch higher.

 Jubilee is intending to invest huge resources into Kiambaa in the remaining days before the by election,  and the same might turn tables against UDA which has been giving it a run for it’s money.

 Limuru MP Peter Mwathi who is leading Jubilee MPs campaign exuded confidence that the party will recapture the seat.

 “All indications are in our favour. They thought they were leading and yet they were running alone, but now that we have engaged the full gear, they have already started panicking,” said Mwathi at Havila hotel in Ruaka.