President Uhuru Kenyatta's endorsement of Kibra Jubilee Party MP hopeful McDonald Mariga dealt a big blow to Jubilee Party members opposed to his candidature, political analyst Dennis Anyonka has said.
Since his nomination, Mariga has been facing opposition from some Jubilee members who have branded him a Deputy President William Ruto project, and who have continued rubbishing his bid even after the endorsement.
Anyonka now says that following the endorsement, whether or not it had something to do with Ruto's intervention, has vindicated the DP, and he appears as having outsmarted those who would like Uhuru to reject Mariga.
"These members have been trying to separate and make Mariga appear like a Ruto project who lacks the party backing but he has now outsmarted them. He is no longer his candidate but a Jubilee candidate (Wanachama hawa wanajaribu kuseparate eti Mariga ni project ya Ruto na hakuchaguliwa na party, lakini sasa amewaoutsmart, sasa si candidate wake tena, sasa ni candidate wa Jubilee)," he said.
Anyonka made the remarks on Radio Maisha's Bunge La Maisha on Monday, where he also faulted Youth Affairs CAS Rachel Shebesh who has claimed that Uhuru was coerced to hand Mariga his blessings at the Statehouse.
He observed that the main factor is that he finally received the endorsement, which renders the tactics that preceded the same irrelevant, adding that Uhuru has every right to do the same, and it should not be trivialized.
"Uhuru has the right to endorse whomever he pleases. Also, it doesn't matter the route used by Mariga, the important thing is that he got to the president and was endorsed (Uhuru ako na haki ya kuendorse yeyote na haijalishi Mariga alipitia wapi, cha msingi alifika na akawa endorsed)," he added.
However, Nominated MP Maina Kamanda, Garissa Woman Representative Fatuma Gedi and Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi are among leaders who have poured cold water on Mariga's candidature anyway.