Nominated Member of Parliament Maina Kamanda has again hit out at Deputy President William Ruto over the upcoming Kibra parliamentary by-election.
Kamanda accused the DP of a plot to cause divisions in Nairobi by 'forcing' Jubilee Party to field football star McDonald Mariga in November 7 mini-poll.
The veteran leader claimed the second in command insisted on having Mariga in the race so as to antagonise the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
“Ruto wants to rock the handshake by bringing divisions in Nairobi. The DP doesn't know what the handshake has done to Nairobi. He wants to bulldoze his way the way he did in Lang'ata,” Kamanda said on Saturday as quoted by the Star.
Lang'ata Constituency is represented by Jubilee MP Nixon Korir, who is a close ally of the DP.
Kibra, which was hived off from Lang'ata ahead of 2013 polls, is considered an ODM zone and there are reports Uhuru was not keen in challenging Raila in his political stronghold where he served as MP for two decades.
Kamanda, a doyen of city politics having represented Starehe Constituency for quite a long time, vowed to join ODM brigade to ensure Ruto and 'his candidate' are defeated.
“Regardless of the Jubilee party position, I will be leading campaigns for an ODM candidate. Those who are pushing Mariga have no votes in Nairobi,” the MP stated.
However, Lang'ata MP dismissed Kamanda's remarks and exuded confidence that Mariga will emerge victorious courtesy of Jubilee's development record in the area.
“Looking at what Jubilee has done before through NYS, it has opened up Kibra – built roads and constructed ablution blocks to ensure there is good sanitation – we are sure of a win,” Korir said.