Azimio parties in Laikipia gang up against DP Ruto's UDA

Parties under the Azimio la Umoja coalition have formed a united force against Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party in the Laikipia gubernatorial race.

Jubilee, ODM, PNU and Kanu county leaders met on Wednesday evening at a Nanyuki hotel and endorsed the Azimio campaign board chairman Ndiritu Muriithi as the coalition’s flag-bearer as he seeks to retain his seat in the August 9 General Election.

The delegates and Azimio grassroots leaders prevailed upon the governor to ditch PNU, which has limited support, and join Jubilee, where they guaranteed him a direct ticket.

Mr Muriithi has repeatedly said he would seek re-election via PNU, a stance that would have resulted in disunity in the coalition and worked in favour of UDA.

The UDA camp has attracted former governor Joshua Irungu and Laikipia West MP Patrick Mariru, who will be battling it out for the party ticket in the nominations.

Laikipia County PNU chairman Justus Maragara said the party had given Mr Muriithi the greenlight to join Jubilee and promised to support him to retain the seat.

Mr Maragara said his party had concluded that the incumbent governor was the most popular candidate to compete against UDA,

“Our main aim is to see the victory of our candidate under the Azimio coalition. We have therefore released Mr Muriithi to join Jubilee and we promise to support him to garner more votes at the grassroots. We must achieve that goal through our unity,” he said.

Laikipia County Jubilee executive secretary Michael Kibochi said they would give Mr Muriithi a direct ticket if he joined them.

“We appeal to PNU leaders to hold talks with the governor so that he can join our party. We want him to be our sole (contestant) for the Azimio coalition in the county. As a party, we promise to give him a direct nomination ticket so that he can re-contest for the seat,” Mr Kibochi said.

The county’s Kanu chairman Peter Njoroge said the coalition parties would have a consensus in all elective seats in the county so as to guarantee victory for President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

“All the parties under Azimio agreed that Mr Raila Odinga is our preferred presidential candidate. We want to have the same agreement here in Laikipia so that we harmonise our campaigns and have one candidate for every elective seat,” Mr Njoroge said.

Businessman Mburu Kamau has been campaigning for the seat via Jubilee and it was unclear how President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga will catapult Mr Muriithi to the coalition’s flag-bearer.

“We have agreed to walk this journey together as a Jubilee team. A majority of our members were deceived to join other parties that have no agenda for our people. We are kindly urging them to come back home,” Mr Kamau said.

Yesterday, Governor Muriithi exuded confidence that the coalition would resolve to support only his candidacy.

“Well, political parties which are members of Azimio coalition are continuing with their work of popularising themselves not only here in Laikipia but across the country as we prepare for the nomination processes,” Mr Muriithi told the media at a Nanyuki hotel.

“I have no doubt that I will emerge as the nominee for the Azimio coalition to run for governor in Laikipia County. Members of the coalition political parties including Jubilee actually prefer to support me to run for a second term.”

Last Friday, President Kenyatta sent Trade Principal Secretary Johnson Weru to hold a consultative meeting with all Jubilee aspirants in the county at a hotel in Nanyuki.

The evening meeting sought to sensitise the aspirants and party grassroots officials to popularise the party and woo more members.

Mr Weru said the party would support all aspirants to ensure that they clinch all elective seats in the county.

“I have held a consultative meeting with all aspirants under the Jubilee party in Laikipia. We have unanimously agreed to support Mr Odinga for the position of President of the republic of Kenya, but we will field our own candidates as Jubilee in all other elective seats,” the PS said.

“I would like to indicate to Kenyans and the entire Jubilee fraternity that we have agreed to spearhead the continuous engagements and registration process at the grassroots. We are confident that we will capture all the seats.”

Jubilee director of elections Kanini Kega and the party’s secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni accompanied Mr Muriithi at a rally held in Nanyuki last week where they drummed up support for his re-election bid.

“As Jubilee party, we are partnering with PNU, ODM and other like-minded parties under the umbrella of the Azimio la Umoja coalition. As Azimio, we are supporting Governor Ndiritu Muriithi to retain his seat. We do not need any other candidate for that seat,” the Kieni MP said.

“We have approved the candidature of Mr Muriithi under PNU because he is doing a great job.”

Mr Muriithi’s deputy John Mwaniki has declared his interest in vying for the Laikipia senatorial seat under Jubilee.

Mr Mwaniki said it was not an easy decision.

“When I made this decision, I approached and told him (Mr Muriithi) that I wanted to vie for the Senate position. Much as it is a difficult decision to make, we looked at its merits and demerits. We finally came to an agreement,” Mr Mwaniki said.

Eight aspirants have lined up, yearning to dethrone Mr Muriithi.

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