Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju has explained the reasons why the party did not keep off the Kibra by-elections as has been the case in previous mini polls.
Citing the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) boss Raila Odinga, it kept off the Ugenya, Migori and Embakasi polls, in favour of ODM.
However, Jubilee has been so passionate about winning the Kibra seat through its candidate McDonald Mariga, a seat which is centred closer to Raila's heart and his perceived bedrock.
Speaking on Tuesday, Tuju said that the changes have been brought about by time, adding that the party consulted at all times, and decided to try its luck in the Kibra race.
"That was in January. Its ten months later, a day is a long time in politics, he said about Embakasi and Ugenya, adding that: "Just as we did consultations that time, we have done consultations his time," he said on Citizen TV.
At the same time, he hailed the political maturity that is being witnessed in the Kibra campaigns, observing that things are changing for the better among supporters of the rival parties.
"One of the positive things I have seen in the Kibra contest was recently when the campaign caravan of ODM met with the campaign caravan of Jubilee and do you know what happened? They were high-fiving, they were cheering at each other, they were clapping at each other, do you imagine that happening in 2017? We've come a long way," he added.
However, a number of Jubilee members have rejected Mariga, opting to back ODM's Imran Okoth.