A highly placed source within Orange House claims footballer McDonald Mariga has withdrawn from Jubilee party nominations race.
Early this week, Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju announced that the party will be fielding a candidate to rival ODM following the death of Kibra MP Ken Okoth.
Hours after the declaration, a list purportedly from Jubilee emerged where five candidates among them Mariga, causing divisions within President Uhuru Kenyatta's party.
“The signature which is there is fake. Well, I sign like that for certain types of communication but for official communication to IEBC there is a specific signature with secret codes which is not that one,” said Tuju, dismissing the list.
IEBC was forced to return the list, seeking clarification from the headquarters after Mr Tuju dismissed the list on grounds that it was fake.
“The Commission received a letter on Monday, 26 August 2019 at 5pm, forwarding names of aspirants of Jubilee Party for the Kibra by election. However, it has come to the attention of the Commission that Jubilee Party has denied authoring the said letter and termed it as fake,” the IEBC said.
“Consequently, the commission has written to the party forwarding a copy of the letter for the party’s information and further action,” it added.
But the source, who is close to the former Intermilan midfielder, said the former footballer has opted out to safeguard his credibility. He is concerned with the divisions in the party.
"He won't participate in the nominations. He is concerned with the divisions which could ruin his credibility. He has simply pulled out of the race," said the source.
Ever since the divisions over his candidature emerged, Mariga has gone silent and he's yet to issue his official statement with regard to his proposed participation.
His alleged pull out will now force Deputy President William Ruto to go back to the drawing board. He is unlikely to support Jubilee candidate to be nominated by Uhuru allied team.
Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale recently claimed that ODM is blocking Mariga's entrance into the race for fear of stiff competition. He claimed that Tuju intends to field a weak candidate.
The latest development comes amid claims by Seth Odongo alias Dikembe Disembe, a close ally of Junet Mohamed, that Dr Ruto will support a candidate sponsored by Ford Kenya.
Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula on Friday said the party will field a candidate. Youthful politician Ramadhan Khamisi, who quit ANC, is expected to contest on the ticket.
"Ford Kenya, the lion party will be unveiling its candidate in Kibra byelection next week. A dynamic, young, professional, Kibra-born, grassroots operator who will carry on with the dynamic legacy left by Hon Ken Okoth. Watch the space!" Wetangula said.
"Ford Kenya, the lion party, is no stranger to the great people of Kibra. My brother Rt Hon Raila Odinga went to parliament for the first time in 1993 on Ford Kenya party. We are on the brink of recreating history," he added.
ODM, which is defending the seat, will pick a candidate on September 7th through competitive nominations. Eleven candidates will participate in the race.
For Musalia Mudavadi's ANC, they have settled on Raila Odinga's former aide Eliud Owalo, who quit ODM early this month over what he called conflicting of 'ideologies'.