The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party might not win the Kibra parliamentary by-elections due to financial shortages, nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura has said.
However, the party which seeks to retain the seat has expressed confidence in winning the race pitting its yet-to-be-declared candidate against Jubilee Party's McDonald Mariga.
Mwaura, a Jubilee member, on Saturday hinted that ODM will soon be having it rough coping as a result of the huge sums of money that will be poured in favour of the rival aspirant.
He said that the race, which also includes ANC's Eliud Owalo, is a pre-match for the 2022 presidential race, terming ODM a poor party which might not carry the day.
"This is a fight about 2022 and money will soon begin flowing. The problem is that ODM is a party of the poor, they don't give money (Hivi ni vita vya 2022 na pesa itamwagwa sana. Shida ni eti ODM ni chama ya masikini, hawatoi pesa)," he said.
The lawmaker made the remarks on Radio Jambo's Mazungumzo Waziwazi show on Saturday morning.
The remarks were however dismissed by the party Nairobi Chair and Makadara MP George Aladwa, who insisted that ODM is financially able and ready for the fight.
He said that the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga-led side is also basking in the backing of the majority of area voters, making it the party to beat in the November contest.
"ODM can't be poor, we recently bought our headquarters worth Sh500 million. We are very rich and we have supporters (ODM haiwezi kuwa ya masikini. Juzi tumenunua headquarter yetu ya Sh500 million. We are very rich na tuko na watu)," he said.
The nomination of Mariga has largely been seen as a plot by Deputy President William Ruto to shake Raila's grip of the constituency, ahead of their possible face-off in the 2022 presidential race.