I'm not stepping down, ODM candidate in Embakasi North says
Jane Muringi, ODM's candidate in Embakasi North Constituency on the campaign trail.
What you need to know:
- On Monday, Mr Sifuna said Ms Muringi had agreed to step down for Harrison Wangoro of Jubilee Party.
- In 2017, Ms Muringi run for the seat on an ODM ticket and narrowly lost to Mr James Gakuya.
Embakasi North ODM parliamentary candidate Jane Muringi has dismissed reports that she has stepped down in favour of Jubilee Party’s Harrison Wangoro.
This comes a day after ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna said that the party had prevailed upon her to shelve her ambitions in favour of Mr Wangoro.
Speaking to Nation.Africa, Ms Muringi said she is firmly in the race to unseat MP James Gakuya.
"I am vying for Embakasi North parliamentary seat on ODM ticket and I will not drop my bid. I have the blessings of party leader Raila Odinga and that of the President both of whom I have diligently served in government and have delivered results," said Ms Muringi.
On Monday, Mr Sifuna said Ms Muringi had a day earlier agreed to step down for Mr Wangoro who would now be the sole candidate to face United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Mr Gakuya.
However, Ms Muringi says she has not been approached by ODM or any party official for her to step down.
"I was with Mr Odinga on Friday last week after the Azimio Council meeting at KICC and I wasn’t requested to drop my bid for anyone else. I'm warning Sifuna not to be compromised and that he is risking Raila’s votes. Sifuna is a candidate like me and he should not use his position to mislead or spread malice," she said.
She further said that she has been continuing with her campaigns as usual, holding a series of campaign meetings with Embakasi North constituents.
Ms Muringi assured her supporters of her commitment to stay the course, urging them not to fall for underhand deals being advanced by her competitors who have sensed defeat and have resorted to spreading cheap propaganda.
"How can I step down for someone who could not even garner more than 200 votes in their party primaries in 2017 and has never been on the ballot?" she posed.
"Let him stop lobbying in boardrooms and come face me on the ground. For avoidance of doubt, this race is no longer about me, but about our constituency, and I am in to the end – that is to win," she said.
In 2017, Ms Muringi run for the seat on an ODM ticket and narrowly lost to Mr Gakuya.
