[President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto. They have been urged to cut links with independent candidates who lost during the Jubilee Party primaries. Courtesy: The Star]
A section of North Rift region Jubilee Party leaders have threatened to shift their allegiance to the opposition coalition NASA if the presidency fails to cut links with independent candidates ahead of the August polls.
Led by Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago, the leaders noted that it was illogical for them to campaign for the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta when Jubilee's top brass is dallying with independent candidates who lost during the party primaries.
“We will ask our supporters to vote for other presidential candidates if the Jubilee’s dalliance with independents does not end. It is illogical to support independent candidates that say they support the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto,” Mandago warned.
“We will ask our supporters to vote for us and make individual decisions on other seats. It is not a must for us to be in government," he added.
His sentiments were echoed by Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter, who accused powerful characters within Jubilee Party of bankrolling Mandago's main rival and businessman Zedekiah Bundotich alias Buzeki.
“Supporting Buzeki is working against Mandago who should have settled down by now and campaigning for the re-election of our President. If this trend remains, it will also not be mandatory for us to vote for this regime,” he said.
They spoke on Friday in Eldoret town.
They were accompanied by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Woman Representative hopeful Gladys Boss Shollei.