Nyeri MP Ngunjiri Wambugu opposes fielding of Jubilee candidate in Kiagu Ward by-election, demands Tuju’s exit
Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu has hit out at Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju after he handed nomination certificate to Jubilee candidate in the Kiagu Ward by-elections in Meru County.
The nomination certificate was given to Samson Kinyua Magambo on Wednesday, August 18.
In a statement made on his Facebook page, Ngunjiri revealed that Tuju’s move violates an agreement struck after the Kiambaa by-election where it was agreed that the ruling outfit will not field a candidate in any by-election in the Mt Kenya region until some issues are resolved.
“All of us in that meeting - including the party SG Raphael Tuju, and Party VC David Murathe agreed that we would not field a candidate in any by-election in Mt Kenya until we had implemented lessons learnt in Kiambaa,” Wambugu said.
According to Wambugu, the Kiagu Ward seat should not be a priority to Jubilee party given that the previous office holder was not from their party.
The MP demanded the nomination certificate be withdrawn so that the party can focus on reforms rather than engaging in unnecessary competition.
“Without consulting anyone in the party’s political wing that was involved in the recent by-elections decided to go against our post-Kiambaa agreement and issued a certificate to a Jubilee candidate.
“We - as the Jubilee Party - lose nothing in not fielding a candidate in this by-election. This is unacceptable to those of us working to rebuild this Party. We demand that this decision immediately be rescinded,” he added.
Wambugu asked Tuju to quit office in consequence saying his actions speak otherwise on his commitment to the party success.
“We also now accept that he must resign as Secretary-General of the Jubilee Party, and vacate Jubilee House. We need someone who understands where we are as a party, and who is connected to the Jubilee support base, as SG of our party,” he demanded.
The first-term MP noted that their meeting agreed on the need for the Party to be rebranded and also ensure a strong grassroots presence.
He says it was agreed that the leadership of the party must be changed at the local and national levels before they can embark on facing their competitors in the forthcoming polls and mini-polls.
