President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto at a past campaign rally [PHOTO/standardmedia.co.ke]
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto are in a rush to establish calm in the Jubilee party after discord began in disgruntled members.
Trouble in the party is said to have begun immediately after the nominations where a section of party members and aspirants rebuked the party for what they said was doctored nominations to favour a section of the aspirants.
On Saturday, Ruto's first step to calm down discord in the party was when he shifted his support from businessman Kiprop “Buzeki” Bundotich, a friend vying for the Uasin Gishu governor seat, and declared every party member was going to support incumbent Jackson Mandago.
This was a move aimed at containing Mandago's rebellion after the governor threatened to rally supporters to ditch Jubilee and join NASA.
“I request with humility that Mr Buzeki, who competed with Mandago in the primaries, should accept defeat and join Mandago. Jubilee will ensure all those who lost are accommodated,” Ruto said. But a defiant Buzeki hit back, saying he will not quit the race and that only the voters will decide who becomes the governor on August 8.
In recent times, Jubilee has made efforts to stem what is largely considered as internal and dangerous friendly fire.
There is the feeling within the party that presence of erstwhile strong independent candidates contesting in Jubilee zones as well as battleground regions might destroy the party’s fortunes.
Peter Kenneth's independent candudature in Nairobi could largely compromise chances of JP gubernatorial candidate Mike Sonko as NASA rally all efforts to ensure Kidero retains City Hall.
In 2013, Ferdinard Waititu, who ran against Kidero garnered some 617,839 votes against the governor's 692,483 at the time.
The candidature of Kenneth could therefore ruin any prospects of Jubilee brigding the gap and taking over Nairobi.