Kiambaa by-elections: Battle lines drawn as Raymond ditches Moses Kuria, meets Uhuru
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday, July 8 had a meeting with Jubilee party's candidate Kariri Njama ahead of the Kiambaa by-election scheduled for next week.
In the meeting, Uhuru was also joined by Raymond Kuria who was to vie for the constituency seat on Moses Kuria's People's Empowerment Party (PEP).
In May, PEP said they would not be fielding a candidate in the Kiambaa by-election in favour of Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
In a move by the Jubilee party to consolidate it's position in Kiambaa, Uhuru also met Damaris Waiganjo, Lenah Koinange, Lucy Wanjiru and Charles Munyui who had shown interest in the seat after former Kiambaa MP Paul Koinange died in March this year.
Damaris, a Liason Director in Kiambu County failed to click Jubilee's ticket for the by-election in May.
She then defected to UDA only to retract the move. "It was out of this disappointment, anguish, and bad feeling that I found myself making the announcement that I made last night prompting that I had moved from Jubilee party," Damaris told the press while flanked by Kiambu Governor James Nyoro and BBI secretariat co-chairman Dennis Waweru.
Lenah Koinange on the other hand was endorsed by the Koinange family to take up the constituency's reigns following the death of their kin.
Through its spokesperson, Leonard Karuga, the family revealed that 10 members of the family were interested in the seat but they had agreed to support Lenah who has also been endorsed by a section of the elders.
Lucy Wanjiru who vied for a political seat in Kiambu county during the 2017 elections also dropped her candidacy in favour of Kariri Njama.
The Kiambaa by-election is closely monitored as UDA and Jubilee battle for supremacy.
On Monday, Kieni MP Kanini Kega who is an ally of the President and key Jubilee lieutenant claimed that the party had over 50 per cent of support in Kiambaa.
"We have about 70 per cent on our side and want to push it to 80 per cent by the time constituents go to the polls on July 15. We are not leaving Kiambaa until the very last day."
"Our candidate, Kariri Njama, is the most suitable for the position. There is no doubt about it. He has been a candidate in the constituency in past polls," Kega said.
UDA on the other hand has fronted John Njuguna Wanjiku as her candidate for the seat.
