President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto. Photo/the-star.co.ke
Wrangles have hit President Uhuru Kenyatta’s campaign team in the Ukambani region ahead of the August 8 polls.
Three teams have emerged among the campaigners seeking to be noticed by the President and have a bigger say in the party affairs.
One of the teams is made up of Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, Legislators Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town), Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East) and Billionaire Businessman Peter Muthoka, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Monica Juma, Kenya’s Ambassador to Turkey Kiema Kilonzo, Sports Kenya chairman Fred Muteti and former Kitui Senator David Musila.
The second camp is made up of Health CS Cleopha Mailu, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and a host of senior civil servants.
The third group is made up of Jubilee parliamentary candidates who lost in the August 8 polls led by former Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambu.
The Muthoka led team has maintained it delivered the three parliamentary seats and 170,000 votes the President got from Ukambani and wants to be seen as an asset compared to the team that lost.
Mutambu's team argues that the Muthoka group was messing up the Jubilee campaigns in the region since they believe politics should be left to politicians since non-politicians may not understand the local dynamics.
Reports indicate that the major cause of infighting is competition for access to the President and control of Jubilee campaign resources.