Six Jubilee men quit to support UDA in Muguga

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate for the Muguga Ward by-election, Kamau Thumbi, yesterday received a major boost after six Jubilee party aspirants vowed to support him.

The six bolted out of Jubilee, citing frustrations and unfulfilled promises.

Francis Waithaka, Joseph Gacheru, Andrew Murugami, Wilfred Thuku, Francis Njuguna and Jacob Munyua accused the party top brass of sidelining them in grassroot affairs.

They have since visited Deputy President William Ruto’s Karen residence in Nairobi, courtesy of Kabete MP Githua Wamachukuru, where they were tasked to conduct aggressive door-to-door campaigns for the UDA candidate.

“The politicians were invited to Karen where they met the DP and committed to ensure the UDA candidate captures the seat,” said a source who sought anonymity.

The aspirants accused Jubilee of shortchanging them and vowed to teach it a lesson during the mini poll slated for July 15. 

Led by the former Ward Rep Francis Waithaka, the politicians said they will do everything possible to ensure the UDA candidate wins the seat, which fell vacant following the death of Eliud Ngugi in March.

Addressing the  press at the Lay Training  Centre in Zambezi, Kabete sub-county yesterday, the aspirants lamented that Jubilee had promised to compensate them Sh1 million each to cover the expenses they had incurred during their campaigns.

“After the controversial interviews where Mung’ara was declared the winner even before some of us had been interviewed, the party leadership told us to throw our weights behind him and promised to give us Sh1 million as consolation,” said Gacheru.

He added that the promise was never fulfilled and that the party, through Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, has been giving them false promises.

Exude’s confidence

Contacted, Mwathi denied a claim  that the party had promised to refund the defectors.

“I had nothing to do with compensating the aspirants and when they sought my intervention, I told them to wait as I liaised with the party headquarters only to hear that they have defected,” he said.

Those who stuck with the ruling party’s candidate include Joyce Wanja and James Mwaura, who exuded confidence that the party will easily win the seat owing to the fact that Muguga is a Jubilee zone.

Yesterday, Kiambu governor James Nyoro also exuded confidence that Jubilee would carry the day in the by election.

“I was in Muguga today and they have assured me that they will stick with the Jubilee administration, which has done tremendous development in the area particularly in the road network,” said Nyoro.