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Jubilee Party’s loss in the just concluded Rurii Ward by-election has renewed the supremacy battles between Governor Francis Kimemia and other elected leaders in Nyandarua County.
Mr Kimemia was tasked with ensuring that the ruling party retains the seat, but the loss has renewed hopes in his opponents of defeating him in next year’s General Elections.
The long-standing tiff between Mr Kimemia and Water Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki saw the two leaders, though drumming up support for Jubilee candidate Peter Thinji, conduct their campaigns separately.
National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya and Ol Kalou MP Njuguna Kiaraho in whose constituency Rurii is located, also went it alone in campaigning for Mr Thinji, while Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni kept off the campaigns.
Gubernatorial seat
Whereas Jubilee lacked teamwork in Rurii, Nyandarua Woman Rep Faith Gitau campaigned single-handedly for United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidate Francis Muraya, before she was later joined by MPs Jayne Kihara (Naivasha), Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira) and Michael Muchira (Ol Joro Orok).
Ms Gitau, who has declared her interest in the gubernatorial seat, is feeling buoyed by the win in the mini poll.
“My team had to travel incognito to reach Rurii Ward on several occasions due to the many road blocks put up by the police to deter me from campaigning for the UDA candidate.
“I had the last laugh and this gives me nothing but confidence to keep me going because I know that better days are coming,” said Ms Gitau.
The by-election sets the stage for a heated contest pitting several other interested parties against Mr Kimemia, among them assembly Speaker Ndegwa Wahome, who has criticised the governor, blaming him for Jubilee’s loss in the by-election.
“What happened in Rurii was saddening but it was the governor’s fault,” Mr Wahome, who is fighting his impeachment in court, said.
Development record
Speaking in Nyahururu at the weekend, Mr Wahome said the governor’s poor development record in Rurii Ward cost the party the seat.
“Rurii people, in particular, are a bitter lot after several youths who come from the ward were sacked from the county assembly recently,” Said the Speaker.
The governor is also being blamed for failing to provide leadership in the campaigns, leading to a disjointed search of votes for the party’s candidate.
Dr Simon Kanyingi, who unsuccessfully vied for the gubernatorial seat in 2017, said the by-election loss was a wakeup call to Jubilee.
He said the party made a blunder sending Governor Kimemia to make more “empty promises” to the people of Rurii, yet he had not fulfilled the promises he made to voters in 2017.
He accused the governor of failing to unite elected leaders in the county.
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