Sabina Chege reveals Ruto’s camp wanted her to deputise Sakaja in governor’s race
Nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege now says she turned down an offer from President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza Alliance to be running mate for the coalition's gubernatorial candidate in Nairobi in the last general election.
Speaking during an interview with Inooro TV on Sunday, February 19, the Jubilee party legislator disclosed that she rejected the offer to show support for her party leader retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, who backed Ruto's main challenger Raila Odinga in the August 9th 2022 poll.
"I had an offer to be Nairobi Deputy Governor but I left that to ensure that our leader (Uhuru) would finish his tenure properly and did not exit in shame," the former Murang'a Woman Representative said.
Chege noted that Jubilee leaders with proven track records, especially from Uhuru's Mount Kenya backyard, could not reclaim their seats due to their political affiliation to the Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition in the elections.
Kenya Kwanza fronted former Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja for the gubernatorial race in the August polls. Sakaja later unveiled Absa Bank Kenya Ltd Chief Operating Officer James Njoroge Muchiri as his running mate and went on to clinch the seat, trouncing Azimio's Polycarp Igathe.
Chege defended her recent visit to State House and pledge to work with President Ruto's administration, saying she did so after much introspection.
According to Chege, she decided to work with the government to be part of the solution rather than the problem.
"It hurts when people call us sellouts, if I had gone to UDA, I would have got a very big seat. Today I would be an elected leader, and even if I would not have won, you have seen how this party has rewarded its supporters," she said.
She further rubbished claims that at least 30 lawmakers from Jubilee party who held a meeting with the Head of State at State House on January 23 were paid to shift their allegiance to the government of the day.
"It's not right to say that I was invited to State House for a handout of Ksh50,000, or Ksh100,000 , that money is not even enough for my daily needs which are so many. Ksh50,000 or Ksh100,000 cannot make me change my stand," MP argued.
Anti-Ruto rallies
Chege claimed that Raila is using the anti-government rallies to seek a handshake that will benefit himself.
"He has a way of seeking handshakes after losing. He uses people to achieve those handshakes but abandons them after he benefits. I have accepted we lost but I will not now go his route of using people to gain for himself alone," she said.
On wrangles in Jubilee party, Chege faulted Uhuru for lack of proper leadership.
She said the Jubilee boss 'has not been in touch' ever since he retired in September 2022.
Chege lamented that Jubilee members have been seeking Uhuru countless times to offer them guidance in vain.
She further criticised Uhuru's speeches in Luanda, Vihiga county and Kisumu where he declared that Raila Odinga was his party leader.
"As we waited for his leadership, we saw him aboard a truck in Kisumu declaring that his party leader was ODM's Raila Odinga," Chege lamented.
Chege said the Jubilee members are yet to get orders from Uhuru himself to join Azimio's anti-government rallies that have been taking place across the country in recent weeks.
"We have only been seeing our former Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni attending alone."
