President Uhuru Kenyatta is very unlikely to personally campaign for Jubilee Party Kibra parliamentary candidate McDonald Mariga, says political analyst Mwangi Njui.
Uhuru on Wednesday endorsed the footballer at the statehouse after weeks of silence, at a time when he was being increasingly coming out Deputy President William Ruto's project.
But the Nakuru-based analyst says that Uhuru might not go any further, to avoid interfering with his truce with ODM boss Raila Odinga, whose party has also fronted an aspirant.
Speaking on Saturday, he observed that Uhuru will take into account the fact that ODM feels that its entitled to the seat, and to avoid appearing to be betraying Raila, he will keep off.
He added that Uhuru most likely just welcomed Mariga to the statehouse to not be seen as contradicting his party's decision to nominate him, but not out of any support for him.
"I don't see the president going to Kibra to campaign for Mariga. Since ODM views the area as its stronghold, its very likely that Uhuru told them to just bring him so that it can appear like the race is on (Sioni Rais akienda Kibra kumpigia debe Mariga. Kulingana na vile ODM wanaona ile ni ngome yake, huenda alisema mleteni tu ionekane kama tunashindana)," he said on.
He made the remarks on Radio Sauti Ya Mwananchi's Cheche show, also attended by veteran politician and former Subukia Member of Parliament Koigi Wa Wamwere.
Ultimately, he predicted, the handshake will not be affected in any way, though the race currently appears like a two horde race between Mariga and ODM's Imran Okoth.
"This issue is very far from the handshake, it wont touch the truce (Sioni jambo hili likiguza handshake, liko mbali sana na handshake)," he added.