President Uhuru Kenyatta placed a call on Tuesday evening asking Deputy President William Ruto to present Jubilee candidate for Kibra by-election Mr McDonald Mariga to State House, a senior aide has claimed.
For weeks now, Jubilee party has been in shambles over Mariga's candidature, with a section of its members openly endorsing ODM candidate Imran Okoth.
The aide who spoke in confidence since he's not authorized to speak on behalf of the duo, said Ruto asked the President to schedule for the meeting on Tuesday evening.
"The DP did not force Uhuru to support Mariga. The president called him over new ambassadors, then brought up the Mariga issue. Ruto asked him to schedule the meeting on Wednesday," he said.
According to him, Uhuru on Wednesday also called Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju confirming the time for the meeting at State House.
The SG, who has been under siege from Ruto's camp, informed Benjamin Washiali and Aden Duale who linked up with the DP and Mariga for State House meeting.
"Tuju was instructed by the president himself to make the arrangements. They all linked up and the rest is history. Uhuru also had a meeting with Ruto for over two hours," he added.
At State House, a jovial Uhuru was seen interacting with the team before photo sessions. He pledged support for Mariga's Kibra by-election campaigns.
Mr Mariga has been projected as Ruto's candidate in the polls, forcing a number of legislators allied to Uhuru to disown him. It's not clear if Uhuru informed them of the decision to endorse Mariga's.
But on Thursday, nominated MP Maina Kamanda, who leads pro-Uhuru's Kieleweke team, visited ODM leader Raila Odinga, where he insisted that he will support Mr Okoth.
“Kibra is the stronghold of ODM. We have field a candidate as Jubilee, the candidate was put there by Jubilee, but as a person, I will be with the [candidate] that has been nominated by ODM,” Mr Kamanda said.
But a number of Mr Odinga's aides seemingly suggest that Kamanda was under instructions from Uhuru, a move that could raise further questions on Uhuru's commitment towards Mariga's candidature.
Spokesman Dennis Onyango suggestively said Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga's Handshake could partner in many Elections to come.
"What’s happening is that Handshake has a candidate in Kibra. It will have in future elections too," he said.
"He was not here by chance nor was it on his own volition but as a representative of President Kenyatta. No wonder he referred to Mr. Imran Okoth as handshake candidate," added another aide, Philip Nyamai.